An Unusual Pair
by Cithara
Summary: A series of events depicting Ron and Severus' relationship and how they came to be a couple.
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** This was originally part of a selection piece that I wrote but I've decided to post all the stories separately now. I hope you enjoy this little series. Please leave a review and let me know.

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Romance & Memories

It was a little-known fact, but Ron Weasley was married to perhaps the most romantic man in Britain. Ron had tried to convince those closest to him that his husband was, in fact, the most caring, thoughtful person that he had ever had the good fortune of meeting, but his task was made a little difficult by everyone knowing exactly who it was he was married to.

Even Harry, his oldest and dearest friend who had actually stood up at his wedding and served as his Best Man, wouldn't believe him when he tried many, many times to convince him that his husband had the most obviously sentimental streak, one that had rendered him speechless on many an occasion.

Most people, he reasoned, were still getting over the shock of the fact that he had married the man at all. He could still remember the day he had turned up at The Burrow to introduce his family to the man he had been secretly seeing for eight months, the two of them having finally decided that they didn't want to hide anything anymore and would bring everything out in the open, bugger the consequences.

His mother had been horrified, his father oddly resigned, Bill and Charlie had tried to be supportive, Fred and George had laughed their arses off and hadn't really stopped since, and Ginny had just looked at them as though she had known all along, which, considering his sister's powers of observation, was probably true. They had all accustomed themselves to the relationship since of course, but still, Ron couldn't convince a single one of them, even Ginny, that his husband was a romantic man.

In the end, it didn't matter, he knew how romantic the man was and he savoured every single moment of it.

"What are you doing?" came the familiar voice from behind him as he sat in their bedroom, back against their bed, a beautiful oak trunk open beside him.

"You know full well what I'm doing," Ron told the man with a smile, looking up at him as he leant on the doorframe, arms folded, gazing down at him with that look that only he got to see.

"That's the third time this week," the man replied, a soft smile gracing his lips.

_I'm the only one who gets to see that gorgeous expression_, he thought, unable to stop an answering smile from tugging at his lips.

"You made me this chest in the first place, I'm allowed to indulge in it."

"I may have made it, but you're the one who filled it with all that…stuff."

"Stuff?" Ron said in feigned affront. "May I remind you that all this 'stuff' came from you."

"You know, in some circles you'd be referred to as a horder."

"So, you want me to throw away the first letter you even wrote me? Or the champagne cork that you saved from our first night in this house? Or perhaps I should get rid of the order of service from our wedding?"

His husband shook his head with a fond smile and said, "No, I would not have you part with those treasures."

"Then what would you have me part with? Each anniversary card you've sent me, including the ones you wrote me before we were married? The rose petals that I've preserved from each rose you gave me as I progressed through the Auror levels? Or this?" he said, holding up the roll of parchment that the man had presented him with after the wedding, and which had turned out to be their transcribed wedding vows.

"Are you planning on presenting me with the entire contents of that chest?" his husband asked with what some would interpret as an indulgent smile.

"You know what's in here, every single thing came from you," Ron said gently. "No one believes me, you know."

"I am well aware," the man replied with a smirk, "although you continue to try to sully my reputation by trying to convince them."

Ron smiled and reached into the chest, drawing out a heavy mahogany box that was achingly familiar to both of them. He looked down at the box, running his long fingers along the beautifully carved etchings on the lid. He rose to his feet, carrying the treasured possession with him, and set it down on the little table that sat in the bay window.

He could feel his husband's intense eyes on him as he opened the box, revealing the carefully arranged vials that shimmered in the sunlight streaming in through the window. Each bottle was carefully labelled and stored chronologically within the box, each memory taken from his husband's mind and stored away, presented to Ron as a gift every year on his birthday.

He knew every single one by heart, knew every word that was spoken, every facial expression, every single second that unfolded within each scene. He felt strong arms encircle his waist and he was pulled back against his husband's chest, revelling in the feeling of contentment that always washed over him when he found himself in the man's arms.

"Which one will you view today?" came the deep voice in his ear, sending delicious shivers down his spine.

"You choose," Ron instructed, running his hand along the black-clad forearms that held him.

The man's long nose nuzzled into the base of his neck and he closed his eyes as he lent backwards into the beautiful body that he loved so well.

"You know my favourite."

"So predictable," Ron teased. "Who knew the big bad Death Eater spy would turn into such a sedate old man."

Severus squeezed his waist and nipped at his ear lobe. "You're not too old to put across my knee, you know."

"Mm, now there's a promise I wouldn't mind you making good on."

Severus chuckled and buried his nose in the thick red hair, breathing in the wonderfully familiar scent of the man. "Memory first, my love, sexual escapades later."

Ron sighed happily and said, "I love it when you call me that. You have no idea what it does to me."

"I have an excellent idea what it does to you," the deep voice rumbled into his ear. "Now, shall we uncork this memory and take a look?"

Ron was released from Severus' hold and pouted at the man even as he moved to retrieve the pensieve from their wardrobe. He placed it on the table next to the box of memories and fished out one of the vials, holding it up to the light and smiling as he read his husband's familiar writing.

He had spent seven years looking at that handwriting, getting his essays back covered in the elegant script, and he had never imagined that he would to come to look on it with such fondness.

He held out his hand and Severus took it, raising it to his lips and kissing his knuckles. Ron smiled in response, knowing that no one believed him when he told them how often Severus did such a thing. He uncorked the vial and carefully dispensed the memory into the pensieve, watching the translucent material swirl and shift in the receptacle.

Severus stood close to him again and it still amazed Ron that after ten years of marriage, thirteen years in total as a couple, that the man's proximity could have such a profound effect on him.

"Off we go, off on another stroll down memory lane," said Severus, and together they stepped forward and immersed themselves in the memory of one of the most important moments of their lives.

_~The hospital room had fallen suddenly quiet, Ginny's cries of pain now halted. Ron waited, his nerves shredded, fairly certain he wasn't breathing, straining his ears for the noise he had been waiting to hear for the last nine months. Eventually a plaintive little cry rang out and Ron let out a triumphant shout as his daughter made her first sounds._

"_We'll just get her cleaned up and weighed, it won't take a minute," said the nurse as she moved the little girl to the corner of the room._

"_Did you see her?" Ron asked, turning to face Severus, his breath ragged and his eyes bright. "I can't believe she's here!" _

_He threw himself into his husband's arms and held on tightly, his body flooded with nerves and excitement, everything feeling oddly surreal to him. He released himself and turned to his sister, wrapping her up in his arms and hugging her gently._

"_Thank you so much, Gin. I don't know how we'll ever thank you. You were amazing."_

_Ginny gave a tired laugh and said, "A lifetime's supply of chocolate and wine will be a good start."_

"_That is a guarantee," said Severus, moving to take her hand in a surprisingly demonstrative gesture. He lowered his voice and said, "I have also prepared a state of the art pain relief potion for you, when this lot have cleared out I'll give it to you."_

_Ginny grinned and said, "I always knew it would pay off having a Potions Master in the family."_

"_Right now," said the nurse, bringing the tiny little bundle over. "It's time for you two to meet your daughter."_

_Ron held out his arms and took as deep breath as the little baby was placed in his arms. He had never seen anything so beautiful in his whole life. The little girl had ivory skin and a small amount of jet black hair, and Ron found himself looking down into a pair of crystal blue eyes. She was breath-taking. _

_Ginny had been the one to carry the little girl and give birth to her, but she was made from both him and Severus. Magic had come on in leaps and bounds, almost as much as muggle technology had, and it was now possible to take the sperm of two men and create a viable embryo from it. This little girl was theirs, a perfect mix of the two men and each of their attributes. _

_Ron looked up at Severus, tears pricking his eyes as he did so. "I can't believe she's here," he whispered. "She's so beautiful."_

_Severus held out his arms and Ron carefully transferred their daughter to him, the little girl emitting a few snuffling noises as she was tucked into the crook of her father's elbow. Ron watched as Severus stared down at her in wonder, his expression completely unguarded as he studied his daughter's face. _

"_She has your eyes," he whispered eventually, and Ron felt as though his face would split if he smiled any more. "Ginny, meet your niece," said Severus, moving to stand next to the bed so that Ginny could get a proper look at the baby. _

"_Well, she and I are already pretty well acquainted," Ginny said wryly, leaning back against the headboard as she smiled down at her niece. "Have you decided on a name yet?"_

_Ron looked across at his husband and raised his eyebrows. He received a small nod and an amused smile in response and he said, "Erin, Erin Ginevra."_

"_Oh guys, that's so sweet! I'm so touched, really," said Ginny with a smile._

"_Well, it was the least we could do after you made her very existence possible," said Severus with a smirk. Erin wriggled in his arms and he smiled down at his daughter as Ron nestled himself into his side. The happiness radiating from both men was palpable and not even on his wedding day had Ron felt such a feeling of euphoria. _

_There was a knock at the door and Harry appeared, closely followed by Hermione. "We're desperate to see our goddaughter," said Harry with a grin as he moved over to Severus and peered down at the little girl in his arms. "Oh Sev, she's beautiful. Can I hold her?"_

"_I'm reluctant to part with her so soon, but fine, as long as you promise to give her back," said Severus, carefully transferring the precious bundle over to Harry._

"_Hey sweetie, I'm your Uncle Harry, and this is Auntie Hermione," he whispered, tilting his arm upwards slightly so Hermione could see her. "We are going to spoil you rotten. I'm going to teach you how to ride a broom and Auntie Hermione is going to teach you…everything else. She's the smart one you see."_

_Hermione laughed softly and said, "So who won in the end? What are well calling this little bundle?"_

_Ron met Severus' eyes and the former Potions Master turned to their friends with a smile, saying, "As always, I bow to my husband's whims."_

"_Ah Erin it is then," Harry said with a grin. "How are you Gin? You looked knackered."_

"_Aw thanks Harry, you always know the right things to say. Draco's so lucky to have you whispering sweet nothings into his ear."_

"_Draco can't wait any longer to be let in to see his goddaughter," said the blond himself as he let himself in to the room, moving over to Harry and wrapping his arms around his waist, resting his chin on the man's shoulder as he gazed down at Erin. "Oh Ron she has your eyes!" he told the red-head, receiving a glowing smile in response. _

"_Your entire family is waiting to break down the door by the way," said Hermione, reaching out and stroking the soft black hair on Erin's head. "Including my husband, who says that if he doesn't get first cuddle, he'll test the new line of Wheezes products on you both."_

_The next hour passed in a blur and a sea of red-heads. Molly and Arthur were beside themselves with joy at meeting their granddaughter, and all the boys crowded into the small hospital room taking turns at holding their new niece and congratulating their sister on an amazing job. _

_It was much later when Ron and Severus had been allowed to take their new-born daughter home that they stood in the beautiful little nursery of their pretty little cottage, looking down at the sleeping form in the cot. _

"_She's so perfect," Ron whispered as he nestled into the strong body that held him. _

"_We'll see if you're still saying that when she keeps us up all night," the man rumbled into his ear. _

"_You're as captivated by her as I am," Ron replied certainly._

_Strong arms tightened around his waist and Severus said, "I could not deny it if I tried."_

"_We're parents, Sev," Ron said, his voice full of awe. "We made her, we're responsible for her. She's…she's our daughter," he said, using the last word with reverence. He turned around in Severus' arms and pressed a soft kiss to the man's lips, pulling back slightly to whisper softly, "I have never loved you more than I love you at this moment."_

"_Nor I you."~_

The memory faded, and Ron and Severus found themselves back in the present day in their bedroom, the sun streaming through the window.

"I can't believe that was five years ago," Ron said, turning and winding his arms around Severus' neck. "She was so tiny. And now…she's growing up too fast."

"Don't all parents say such things?" Severus asked, his hands settling on Ron's waist.

"No doubt. I'm sure with each passing year I'm turning more and more into my mother."

"I rather think not. As fond as I am of her, I would not wish to be married to your mother. Now, which memory is next?"

"Hm, so many to choose from."

"Our wedding day? The first time we made love? Perhaps the first time you took me home and introduced me as your partner?"

"No, that one's too funny," said Ron with a snort. "Mm, I know. How about our first kiss?"

"Ah, you should have said you wanted something dramatic."

~"_Are you sure we weren't followed?" asked Ron as he began to ward the door behind them._

"_As sure as I can be," Severus replied, looking out of the window, then pulling the curtains shut and doing the same to the rest of the curtains that hung in the run-down old cottage. _

"_How the bloody hell did they know we'd be there?" Ron growled, wrenching off his cloak and hissing in pain as he did so._

"_What's wrong?" Severus asked, turning his attention back to the man._

"_Nothing," Ron said gruffly, one of them managed to catch me with a slicing hex, that's all."_

_Severus rolled his eyes and fished about in the pockets of his robes, extracting a vial and chucking it at Ron. "Numbing agent," he said brusquely as Ron looked at him enquiringly. _

_There was silence for a moment, Severus continuing to check the property for any weak spots and to properly assess their situation, lighting a few stubby candles as he went. Eventually Ron's sigh broke the quietness and he said reluctantly, "I need your help, I can't reach."_

_Severus turned to face him to find that the red-head was standing there in nothing but his jeans, his pale torso illuminated only by the scant candlelight. At 20 years old, Ron Weasley had matured into a finely formed man, one whom Severus had noticed more times than he cared to admit. He was not the rippling, bulging-biceped figure that graced the cover of romance novels, but he was strong and athletic, smooth, pale skin covering lithe muscles. _

"_Very well," said Severus tersely, moving over to him and taking the vial from his hands. Ron turned around and Severus saw the nasty laceration between the man's spine and his right shoulder-blade. He poured the thick mixture into his hand and carefully administered it to the wound, Ron hissing at the contact. _

"_I thought I'd managed to dodge it," he growled, "bloody bastard got lucky."_

"_With the hexes they were throwing you're luckier it wasn't something more serious," said Severus as he continued to work the potion into the nasty cut._

_Ron gave a grunt of agreement and said, "They must have been tipped off, we were so careful. How could they have known we'd be there tonight?"_

"_I am as much in the dark as you." Severus replaced the vial in his robes and fished out another, dabbing a little of the mixture on his fingers and applying it to Ron's back. "Just an astringent, to ward against infection."_

"_Thanks," said Ron tiredly. He turned back around to face Severus and asked, "Are you hurt anywhere?"_

"_No, I managed to avoid injury," Severus replied with a quirk of his eyebrow. _

_Blue eyes flashed, and Ron said, "I was dodging at least five hexes back there and still managed to send off some pretty nasty ones back. I know you like to think of me as the dumb teenager you had the pleasure of teaching for seven years, but I've been doing this for three years now, so a little less condescension wouldn't go amiss."_

_His pale cheeks were flushed, and Severus couldn't help but wonder how much further he could goad the boy, if only to see how many other shades he could turn. "Condescension? Have you been borrowing Granger's dictionary?"_

"_You're not bloody funny you know. We've been partners in this bloody war for 18 months now, would it kill you to give me a little respect? Just some small measure of courtesy?"_

"_I doubt it would kill me, but I wouldn't like to risk it nevertheless."_

"_You know, I defend you," Ron shot back, and Severus tried to mask his surprise. "Every time Harry slags you off or the twins think of using you as a test subject for one of their new products, I stick up for you! I don't know why I bother."_

"_Why __do__ you bother?" Severus asked, genuinely interested._

_Ron threw his arms up in frustration and said, "Merlin knows! Perhaps I feel some sort of misplaced loyalty because you're my partner in the Order, although Heaven knows how I, of all people, managed to get stuck with that dubious honour."_

"_Really Weasley, your vocabulary is coming on in leaps and bounds."_

"_You're impossible!" Ron growled. "Seriously, the next time the twins want to test their new itching powder on you, I'll let them!"_

"_I'm sure I can manage without you as a protector."_

_Ron shot him a filthy look and Severus was intrigued to see the colour that had started on Ron's cheeks was now slowly snaking its way down his throat and across his collarbones. He wondered how angry he would have to make the man for it to spread over his entire torso, perhaps even to dip below the waistband of his trousers. _

"_Do you always engage in arguments whilst semi-naked?" Severus asked, and Ron frowned in confusion before realising that he was still standing with his shirt off. The flush of anger turned into a deep blush and Severus felt a small pang of triumph when he saw it had spread all the way down to Ron's ribs. _

_Ron went to stuff himself back into his shirt again and Severus said, "I wouldn't, if I were you. The numbing agent needs a little time to sink into the skin and it works better if the wound is left to the open air."_

_No such thing was true, but Severus wanted to enjoy the view of Ron's strong body a little longer. Ron chucked his shirt down on the nearby table with a noise of frustration and said, "Is there anything to eat in this bloody place?"_

"_I wondered how long it would take you to think of your stomach," Severus replied with an amused smirk. _

"_Can't you let up on me for five seconds? I haven't eaten since breakfast, we've been running up and down the bloody country all day and yes, I'm hungry. I didn't realise it was such a serious transgression."_

"_There you go again, you must tell me honestly – has Granger been tutoring you?"_

"_One more crack Severus, just one more crack about my intelligence and I shall hit you with a few choice hexes of my own!"_

"_Now that I'd like to see," Severus baited the man. "I would love to see how you'd fare in a duel against me."_

"_I'm not a kid anymore," Ron said through clenched teeth, and as his body rippled as his anger grew, Severus had to say that he agreed with him. "I could take you."_

"_Could you really?" Severus asked, moving a little closer, his voice low and dangerous. "And just how would you do that?"_

_Ron's eyes narrowed as he tried to control his anger and his jaw clenched as he stood his ground against the man. "You know, I really wanted to believe that everything people said about you wasn't true. After working with you for a little while I thought that I'd started to get to know you quite well, that I'd managed to see a side of you that few got to see."_

"_Oh Weasley, you're tugging at my heart strings, I shall get my violin out soon."_

"_See! There you go, reminding me exactly how much of a bastard you are! Why do you have to be like this? Why can't you just be like you were that night we – " Ron stopped himself in his tracks, and it appeared to Severus as though the boy was actually biting the inside of his cheeks to stop himself from speaking._

"_Which night?" Severus asked, noting that the blush was now sweeping over Ron's taut stomach, threatening to go dangerously low to a place Severus would have been interested in following. _

"_It doesn't matter," Ron said gruffly, shaking his head. "You're a bastard, let's just leave it at that."_

"_Which night, Mr Weasley?" Severus repeated, aware that he was teasing the boy, but unable to stop himself. _

_Ron's nostrils flared slightly, and he glared at some distant spot beyond Severus' shoulder. "Dumbledore's birthday party," he said quietly after a while and Severus found himself surprised that that had been the time to which Ron was referring._

_After the festivities had wound down at Grimmauld Place sometime after midnight, Severus and Ron had both found themselves outside in the little terrace garden, sitting side by side on the patio, sharing a bottle of swiped champagne. It was late, and they had both already had a fair amount to drink. It seemed that the late hour and copious amounts of alcohol conspired to loosen their tongues, and they found themselves spending the next hour in easy conversation with one another. _

_Severus remembered it well, and, though he would admit it to no one, he looked back on the memory with a certain degree of fondness. Ron had been good company and they had shared several jokes as they had sat in the moonlit garden together, taking turns to swig the champagne and laughing at nothing in particular. It seemed that Ron too held that memory with a certain amount of regard._

"_You wish us to sit outside and drink champagne?" Severus asked, not quite finished needling the boy yet. _

"_Oh piss off Severus," Ron groused. "As I said, you're a bastard, end of story."_

"_Or perhaps you want us to imbibe far too much alcohol and sit as close as we did that night," he said, moving closer to Ron and backing him up so that the boy was pushed against the door. "Perhaps you want to get me drunk enough that I lower my guards and you can…have your way with me," he said in a low voice and Ron's eyes widened. "Is that it, Mr Weasley? Is that what you want?"_

"_Don't be so ridiculous," Ron snarled. "Of course that's not what I want."_

"_No? I seem to remember you sitting awfully close to me that night, your hand brushing mine several times as we sat side by side. I'm sure I remember seeing just the tiniest hint of regret in your eyes when I finally said we should go inside. What were you hoping for? A midnight kiss?"_

"_Why are you such a wanker?" Ron asked, the angry blush now covering his entire torso. _

"_You bring out my good side."_

"_You know what? When we get back to headquarters I'm asking to change partners, someone else can have the pleasure of your company for the next few assignments, because I am done. I'm done with your sarcasm and snark; I'm done with your patronising attitude and the fact that you still insist on treating me like one of your students. I'm done with the whole bloody thing! You are an impossible man and I would rather kiss Neville's bloody toad than kiss you."_

"_Is that a fact?" asked Severus, moving closer. "Because that rather delicious colour that you're turning says otherwise."_

"_I am not – " Ron cut himself mid-sentence and stared at Severus for a moment before he said breathlessly, "What did you just call me?"_

"_Managed to stop your tirade long enough to hear that, did you?" Severus asked with a smirk. _

_Ron continued to stare at him the silence was suddenly very noticeable. Severus had sensed this tension building for months, had been revelling in it as a matter of fact, and he couldn't stop himself from finally closing what little distance there was between them. _

"_Does that colour cover your entire body, Ron?" Severus asked, immensely affected by hearing the hitch of the boy's breath as Severus used his name for the first time. _

_Apparently, Ron wasn't going to let Severus have control of the entire situation, and he reached out and grabbed the back of Severus' neck, pulling him into a hot and very aggressive kiss. He pulled himself up against Severus' body and Severus felt himself harden immediately as that delectable body was held against his own. _

_He wound one hand through the thick head of red hair, whilst his other ran down the side of Ron's torso, gratified that he managed to elicit a gorgeous moan from the boy as he did so. His tongue met Ron's and he plundered the hot mouth greedily as his hand gripped Ron's hair forcefully. _

"_God you were right," Ron said breathlessly as his lips went to Severus' throat. "I've wanted this since that night, I've wanted you so badly, you must have known."_

"_I guessed," Severus said with a slight growl as Ron's lips moved to worry along the man's jaw. "I enjoy teasing you."_

"_I'd noticed," Ron said, slowly running a hand down Severus' body until it rested at the front of Severus' trousers, meeting the man's erection with a smile. "This is more than just teasing," he informed the man with a smirk. _

"_I've never been known to take a joke too far."_

"_How far do you want to go tonight, Professor?" Ron asked, looking up at the man with a predatory gleam in his eye that made Severus shiver with anticipation._

_He was about to demonstrate to Ron just how far he wanted to take proceedings when a loud bang and an explosion of light erupted outside the window._

"_Oh for fuck's sake!" Ron exclaimed. "Why now?!"~_

They were wrenched from the memory and Ron stood there, shaking his head as he smiled. "You were such a prick."

"I loved baiting you," Severus said, winding his arms around Ron and pulling him close. "I loved making that delicious blush spread over your body, watching the path it took across your torso, down across your stomach. God it used to drive me wild."

"_You_ used to drive me wild. You know, I know full well that I didn't need to keep my shirt off for that numbing agent. You just wanted to perve on me."

"Guilty as charged," Severus said, his voice low and playful. "Care to give me an opportunity to do the same now?"

"When have I ever been able to say no to you? Promise me one thing."

"Mm?"

"Fuck me so hard I see stars."

Ron was thrown onto the bed with a growl and as Severus began to strip the clothes from him, Ron smiled to himself that this would be yet another memory that they would look back on, and he looked forward to making many, many more.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** After the events in the previous chapter, Ron and Severus see if they can build upon the attraction they both feel for one another. It seems they're more compatible than they imagined.

Building Memories

"Well that's everyone in custody, they'll be questioned in the morning. Good work you two. I suggest we take you off manoeuvres for the next week, give you a bit of a breather," said Kingsley as he stood by the fireplace in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place.

"I won't look a gift horse in the mouth," said Ron, rubbing his face tiredly. "Cheers Kings." He extended his hand and the man shook it, turning to Severus and doing the same.

"I'll bid you both goodnight then gentlemen. See you in a week."

Kingsley grabbed a pinch of floo powder and stepped into the flames, loudly intoning "Albus Dumbledore's office" before he was swept up and carried away, leaving Ron and Severus alone in the empty kitchen.

Merely hours before they had been in the safe house kissing the life out of each other before they'd been attacked. The kiss had been pushed to the back of their minds as they had been thrown into the fray, eventually capturing their attackers and taking them to the Ministry to be dealt with.

Now the adrenaline of the fight had worn off and they were both tired and fed up. They were now confronted with having to face up to what had happened before, although neither, it seemed, had any idea how to do that.

Ron took a deep breath and rubbed the back of his neck, not able to look up at the man who was only a few feet away. He wanted to pick up where they'd left off, he wanted to press the man up against the table he was so casually leaning on and find out if all the dreams and fantasies he'd had were half as good in reality. It wasn't that easy though; being back in Grimmauld Place was jarring, and it seemed to have burst the surreal little bubble they'd been operating in back in the safe house.

"Look," he said quietly, "if you want to just – "

"If you're about to suggest we forget what happened a few hours ago I will hex you into the middle of next week," came the deep voice and Ron's head snapped up to see the man looking at him, arms folded and one black eyebrow raised.

He couldn't stop the grin that spread across his face and he moved a little closer to Severus, scratching the end of his nose and saying, "You don't want to forget it?"

"I've been indulging in fantasies of you for months Mr Weasley, do you really think I'd pass up the opportunity to see them made flesh?" Severus replied, and Ron was certain the man had chosen his words very deliberately.

"We're…we're the only ones here right now," he said quietly, feeling nervous.

"I know," Severus said softly. He pushed himself up from the table and closed the distance between them, standing in front of Ron with such an intense expression it nearly knocked the wind out of him. "We could go up to my room, if you wish."

Oh Ron wished, Ron wished very much, but the heat of several hours ago had evaporated somewhat, leaving space for self-doubt and self-consciousness to creep in. Damn it all, he was a Gryffindor wasn't he? He wasn't going to let his own stupid thoughts get in the way of what promised to be a night to remember.

"I'd like that," he said quietly, and Severus nodded, a small hint of a smile on his lips.

He inclined his head slightly, indicating for Ron to follow him, then turned and left the kitchen. Ron followed as they moved into the dark hallway then slowly ascended the stairs, stopping on the first floor and moving down the landing towards the second door. Severus opened it and Ron felt a thrill go up his spine as it hit him that he was standing in the man's bedroom and that everything he'd been thinking about for the last few months was about to be made real.

Severus turned to face him, the look in his eyes unmistakable, and Ron couldn't stop himself from grinning, a slightly embarrassed but pleased blush creeping up his neck.

"I _have_ to see how many times I can make you turn that colour," Severus murmured, and Ron bit his lip shyly, amazed to see that it was actually possible for Severus' eyes to darken. "Oh do please keep doing that," Severus said in a low voice as he moved closer. "It's delicious."

Ron had never been called delicious in his life, but he would have bitten right through his damn lip if it made Severus call him it again.

"I um…" he said, his voice reverberating through the quiet of the room. "You should know…I haven't done this before…not with another man. Is that a problem?" he asked, and Severus looked puzzled.

"Problem? Why on earth should it be?"

Ron felt a surge of relief run through him, and he said, "I…I was seeing someone a little while ago and I told them that I was a virgin and he practically ran for the hills. He said he had no interest in being anyone's first and wanted someone with at least a little experience."

"Fool," Severus said smoothly. "Any person who is too blind to see the gift they're being offered in such a circumstance isn't worthy of it. If you're happy to accept me, I'll be only too happy to ensure this experience is one you'll remember."

Ron didn't doubt it for a second and, not for the first time, he found himself pleased that nothing had happened with that dickhead he had met in the pub. He smiled and wrenched his shirt off over his head, enjoying the appreciative look in Severus' eyes as the man raked his dark eyes over his torso.

"I take it that's a yes?" Severus asked wryly, and Ron closed the distance between them to press his body against Severus' as he claimed the man's lips in a hot and hungry kiss. Severus' hands ghosted over his ribs and waist, and Ron shivered as the touches provoked a pronounced reaction from his body.

He was pushed back towards the bed and he let himself be pressed down onto it, Severus' weight pinning him to the mattress as he continued to claim Ron's mouth with spine-tingling ferocity. Ron let himself be taken along with it all as Severus' lips moved to his jaw, then his throat, the pace steadying as Severus took control.

The man's lips moved down across his chest and Ron's breath caught in his throat as long fingers ghosted over his ribs. Severus sat back slightly and Ron watched as the man's hands went to the button on his jeans, undoing it, then slowly lowering the zip before he pulled them down over Ron's hips, off his legs and out of the way. His underwear was next, and Ron felt himself blush under the scrutiny of Severus' hungry gaze.

"I do believe that I'm going to spend the rest of the night seeing how much of your body that delectable colour can cover," Severus murmured, his voice low in his throat, sending a thrill up Ron's spine, and all he could do was look up at the man through his lashes, anticipation electrifying his nerves.

He felt exposed but not vulnerable as he lay naked before Severus, and the look in Severus' eyes was enough to let Ron know that Severus hadn't found fault with the view that greeted him. He had never been looked at that way before, and he felt bolstered by the thought that he could cause the expression on Severus' face.

The man leant forward, and Ron's toes curled in anticipation, but swiftly uncurled in surprise as Severus bypassed his aching erection entirely and lowered his head to his hipbone instead. No one had ever paid any attention to that particular area of his body before, and he was startled to learn that his body seemed to appreciate it very much.

The kisses moved lower, accompanied by the delicate teasing of Severus' fingertips. Sensation danced over Ron's skin, and he closed his eyes as touches and kisses rained down on his thighs then lower over his knees. _Oh God, when the bloody fuck did my knees become so sensitive_? Lips ghosted down his calves and Ron was practically writhing against the bed, desperate with need, his body overwhelmed by sensation, his brain unable to process the pleasure that he had never known could be derived from such exquisite ministrations.

Severus seemed to be in no hurry, indeed Ron was fairly certain that he was taking as much time as possible to ensure that he drove him mad before he finally claimed him for his own. He heard a soft whimper from somewhere and was embarrassed to find that it had come from him. He bit his lip and Severus looked up from where he had been lavishing attention on the arch of Ron's foot.

A slight twitch that could have been a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth and he ran a tongue along his lips before saying, "Getting impatient?"

"I…" Ron gasped out breathily. "Please," was all he could think of to say, all that his lust-fogged brain would let him say.

A very familiar smirk settled in Severus features and he slowly moved back up Ron's body until he hovered over his lap. He held Ron's gaze fiercely as he lowered his head and finally took Ron's swollen prick in his mouth.

"Oh fuck yes," Ron breathed, his eyes closing again as his head fell back onto the pillow. He tried to thrust deeper into the sinfully delicious warmth of Severus' mouth, but the man pinned his hips to the bed with one hand while the other wrapped around the base of his cock with more pressure than he was used to. Apparently his cock agreed very much with that, as well as with the movements of the man's tongue against its weeping head.

His previous experiences in this department paled by comparison. True, he had only been with two women, but all they had done was give his prick a few strokes before they wrapped their entire mouths around it and sucked a bit before saying that their jaws ached. He had never had his cock sucked by someone who seemed to be gaining such pleasure from it. It was a heady sensation.

Severus' tongue swiped and teased several more times before he moved his mouth down the entirety of Ron's shaft, maintaining a delicious amount of suction as he went. _How the fuck can he do that?_ Ron thought, clenching his hands in the bedsheets to stop himself from reaching out and grabbing Severus' head.

The head of his cock hit the back of Severus' throat and he couldn't stop the low moan that escaped his lips. The man's muscles seemed to contract around his prick, and he was overwhelmed by the feeling of it. He could feel his orgasm creeping up on him, and his breathing sped up as the idea of coming down Severus' throat made his already painful cock ache even more.

It came as a shock when Severus removed his mouth before that could happen, and Ron raised his head to protest, meeting Severus' eyes as the man looked up at him.

"I'm not going to let you come until I'm inside you," Severus practically growled at him, and Ron felt the tension in his stomach coil deliciously again.

He moved back up Ron's body to claim his mouth in a greedy and possessive kiss and Ron shuddered against him, never having felt this way when pressed up against another willing body before, and the small part of his brain that was doing its best to still function wondered exactly when the man had found time to remove his own clothing.

"Just relax," Severus said, as he reached for his wand. "We'll do this slowly, but you need to tell me if you want to stop," he said, and Ron felt slightly undone at the amount of tenderness in the man's voice.

He nodded up at the man and Severus pointed his wand at his backside and muttered a spell that was alien to his ears. The sensation it produced came as a shock, though not an unpleasant one, and Severus smiled down at him as the surprise evidently showed on his face.

The spell was murmured again, and Ron felt Severus' finger, which was now slick with lubricant, begin to circle his entrance. He took a deep breath and the finger slowly slipped inside him, the feeling strange but not uncomfortable. The finger moved in and out of him, and when he began to bear down against it, a second was added.

"Good," Severus murmured encouragingly into his ear, continuing to stretch and prepare him as Ron wondered why the fuck he had never done this before. It felt oddly right, and if he had ever questioned his sexuality in the past, those concerns seemed to fly right out of the window as Severus continued to thrust his fingers in and out of him.

A third finger was added, and Ron couldn't stop himself from crying out as Severus brushed against something inside him that sent a surprising shockwave of pleasure through his system. He wasn't stupid enough not to know what his prostate was, but bloody hell, no one had ever done that to him before. He would have sold his entire family down the river to make sure Severus did it again.

"Fucking hell," Ron moaned, and this seemed to please Severus as he leant forward and latched on to Ron's throat with a growl. Ron tilted his head back to allow Severus as much access as possible, and the man continued to suck and bite at his skin while his fingers moved inside him.

Severus made a hot trail to Ron's ear, and Ron shivered as Severus whispered, "I've wanted you for months. To have you beneath me like this is beautiful."

"Fuck," Ron whispered. "Please."

"Please what?" Severus teased, brushing Ron's prostate and making him arch up from the bed.

"I want you inside me," Ron begged, and the sharp intake of breath next to his ear told him that his words had pleased Severus.

The fingers were gently removed and he felt bereft, but as Severus began to shift himself, he knew he wouldn't feel that way for long.

"Shall I…should I turn over?" he asked slightly breathlessly.

"It's up to you," Severus said softly, "but personally I would prefer to be able to see your face when I finally sink inside you."

"Jesus," Ron breathed, and Severus smiled as he brought his body to line up with Ron's.

"I've been called worse things," he murmured, and Ron grinned, though it soon disappeared as he felt the blunt head of Severus' cock nudge against his entrance. "Just breathe," Severus said gently, and Ron felt as though he was in bed with a different person to the man he had known for so many years. He would have never believed Severus capable of such consideration, and he could tell that the man was holding himself back so as not to rush the moment.

Severus lowered his head and captured Ron's lips in a slow and deep kiss as he moved forward and pushed the head of cock through the tight ring of muscle and finally breached Ron. It hurt, there was no doubt about it, and Ron felt his erection wilt slightly as his body decided to focus solely on the pain rather than anything else.

"It's ok," Severus muttered against his lips as he pulled out a little then moved back in with careful gentleness. "We'll go as slowly as you need."

Never more than at that moment did Ron appreciate Severus' legendary restraint. He could feel the man's body trembling against his own, could tell that Severus wanted nothing more than to bury himself in his body and thrust for dear life, but the fact that he wasn't made Ron want to see it through to the end.

Severus continued to move in and out in gentle, shallow movements and slowly Ron felt himself growing accustomed to the feeling of being breached. The pain was beginning to subside to discomfort and Severus leant down again to meet his lips with a kiss that was as tender as it was distracting.

Ron leant up to meet it, gasping slightly as Severus's tongue immediately swept into his mouth, robbing him of all rational thought, sweeping him along and making him think of nothing other than to return it with as much need as it was being given. It was as though Severus was diverting all the passion he wanted to use to slam into Ron's body to plunder his mouth instead, and Ron found himself winding his legs around the man's waist and tilting his hips up.

Severus groaned slightly and Ron realised that the shift in angle had made the feeling a lot more pleasurable. He rocked his hips experimentally as he drew Severus in a little deeper, beginning to feel a new sensation sweep through him as the man moved.

"More," Ron moaned against Severus' lips, and Severus complied, pulling out further and thrusting back in, hitting Ron's prostate in a completely different way than the man's fingers had done. He tore his lips from Severus' as his head flew back and hit the pillow again, arching his body upwards as the pain he had felt started to become a distant memory.

Severus grabbed his wrists and pinned them either side of his head, and Ron realised with a start that he was incredibly aroused by the action. He wanted nothing more than to give over every ounce of control he had to the man, and he was sure that Severus would be only to willing to take it.

Severus continued to thrust inside him, his movements becoming deeper and more urgent though the pace remained steady, and Ron felt his arousal creep back up on him again. "Oh yes," he breathed, as he matched the rocking of his hips to the rhythm Severus had set, and he nearly flew from the bed as Severus released one of his wrists to snake his hand down and wrap around Ron's renewed erection.

The twin sensation of being fucked while Severus stroked him was overwhelming, and Ron felt as though his entire body was utterly at Severus' mercy. He had no autonomy over it at that moment, and he was perfectly happy with that as he felt his orgasm build intensely up inside him before it erupted from his body with full force.

He came with an unrestrained shout and tried to remember how to breathe as Severus finally gave in and used his body the way he had been desperate to, fucking him hard before the man's body went taut and Ron felt his shuddering gasps next to his ear.

There was nothing for a few moments besides the sound of their combined breathing, and Ron smelt the scent of sex in the air as he finally came back to his senses. He felt as though the world had tilted slightly and he blinked up at the canopy of Severus' bed as the pounding in his ears began to subside.

With a wandless cleaning charm, Severus withdrew slowly and carefully from Ron's body then manoeuvred himself to lie next to him on the bed. "Are you alright?" he asked, and Ron turned to face him with a grin.

"What do you think? That was fucking marvellous," he said, and Severus dipped his head to hide his smile.

"Better than it would have been with the person who was frightened off by your virginity?"

Ron reached over and lay a hand on Severus' cheek, and the man looked up at him in surprise. "No comparison," Ron said softly. There was silence for a moment before Ron removed his hand and cleared his throat, the noise echoing oddly in the still room. "I…should…should I leave?"

"Do you want to?" Severus asked, his black eyes pinning Ron firmly.

Summoning all the courage he possessed, Ron shook his head and said, "I'd rather not, if you'll let me stay."

Severus allowed a smile to make its way onto his face and he reached out to brush the too-long fringe from Ron's eyes. "I wouldn't see you from my bed any sooner than I have to."

* * *

Ron woke earlier than was his habit, not used to sharing his sleeping space with another body. He had slept soundly enough though, the day's earlier fight with rogue Death Eaters followed by what had transpired after had been enough to ensure that he fell asleep as soon as his head had hit the pillow.

He smiled up at the canopy of the bed and stretched, feeling a delicious ache seep through him, reminding him just what had happened the previous night. As if he needed reminding, he thought with a grin. He glanced across at the man sleeping next to him, able to take in the sight of him with the weak light that was doing its best to work its way through the heavy drapes.

He hadn't had a proper chance to look at the man's body the previous night, being how his mind was overcome with what was being done to him, enjoying every pleasurable second of it. Severus' body had intrigued him ever since his own had started responding to it. The robes the man wore did little to help his cause, swamping his frame and putting a block on trying to discern what might lie beneath.

Ron had imagined though; he had imagined long, muscular legs that might lead to a pert, firm backside. He had imagined a thin but wiry torso, pale with black hair smattered across it, and narrow shoulders with strong arms that could pin him down and make him submit.

Now with the opportunity to finally look, Ron could drink in his fill and see that his surmises had been almost spot on. The man's body held a great deal more scarring than he had imagined, but that was nothing surprising, and there was more meat on Severus' bones than the swathes of black fabric would have led him to guessing.

The covers were pushed down so that they pooled around the man's hips, revealing the tiniest hint of dark, coarse hair, and Ron's tongue darted out, wetting his bottom lip, as he thought of what lay hidden beneath the duvet.

The previous night's occurrence would not only be happening once, Ron was determined about that, and the fact that Severus hadn't kicked him out on his arse after it was over was hopefully a sign that Severus felt the same way.

"Did no one ever tell you that it's rude to stare?" Severus asked, keeping his eyes closed and making Ron jump in the process.

"Did no one ever tell _you_ that it's rude to pretend to be asleep?" Ron shot back, feeling the blush creep up his neck at being caught.

"I _was_ asleep, until I began to detect I was being watched," Severus returned, slowly blinking his eyes open and looking up at Ron. A slow, almost cat-like smile spread across Severus' face and an almost imperceptible thrill teased along Ron's spine. "How delightful to be greeted with that delicious blush."

Ron dipped his head, a shy smile on his lips. "Does that mean…that you're happy I'm still here?" he asked, feeling the need to test the waters slightly.

"Do you imagine that I have the opportunity to entertain men as attractive as you on a regular basis?" Severus asked, propping himself up on one elbow with more casualness than Ron had ever seen him display.

"With a body like that, it wouldn't surprise me," Ron said, feeling himself blush even more as he did so.

Severus gave a soft snort of laughter and Ron looked up as the man said, "Your eyes must be affected by the bad light in here."

"No," Ron said softly, reaching out and running his fingers over one of Severus' exposed shoulders, then down across his smooth chest. Ron had imagined Severus' chest to be covered in dark hair, but to find that it wasn't, that the hair began much lower and didn't appear until the man's navel was something of a pleasant surprise. "My eyes are just fine," he said, "and they like what they see."

He found himself pinned back against the mattress, a thrill going through him as it had done the previous night when Severus had grabbed his wrists and held him tightly in place. "I take it this means that you wouldn't object to repeating last night's events then?" Ron asked, grinning up at the man.

"If you think I'm letting you go from my bed when I've only just got you into it, then I have clearly overestimated your intelligence," Severus murmured low in his ear, and Ron bit his lip as a hot surge of anticipation rolled through him. His body was already reacting, as if perfectly aware of what the dark-haired man could do, of what he could make him feel.

"I'm not going anywhere," Ron whispered back. "Not when I've wanted you for so long. You've been driving me fucking crazy."

"I try," Severus said, and Ron could hear the smirk in the man's voice as he tilted his head lower and claimed Ron's throat. "Any preferences as to how you would like to be driven crazy this morning?" he asked, and Ron's body was practically humming with his need to be touched, his sheer delight at being entirely at Severus' mercy.

He was about to respond with a very detailed description of exactly what he wanted Severus to do to him when he was abruptly torn from his lust-filled haze by the sound of someone calling his name.

"What the fuck?" Ron said, as both he and Severus stilled their motions, Severus raising his head to meet Ron's eyes.

"Ron? Ron are you here?"

The voice rung out more clearly this time, and both Severus and Ron could discern that it was Harry who was calling out, and by the sounds of him, he was in the main hallway, shouting up the staircase.

"Oh shit!" Ron hissed as he and Severus disentangled themselves from one another. "You'll have to go down and stall him."

"What?" Severus asked as they both flew from the bed and scrabbled around for their clothes.

"I only have last night's clothes in here," Ron said as he grabbed his trousers and held them against his body. "I can't go down in those, he'll wonder what's going on, and if one of us doesn't get out there soon, he'll come up the stairs, go into my room and see that I'm not there!"

"Oh for goodness' sake," Severus huffed, holding out his hand and summoning his thick dressing gown from the hook on the door, shrugging into it and fastening it tightly. "Come down as soon as you can, I have no desire to spend my morning making small talk with your other half."

Ron shot him a filthy look, but was relieved when the man slid out of the room and heard him shout down the stairs to Harry,

"For Merlin's sake Potter, you could wake the dead."

Ron crept to the bedroom door as he heard their voices drift off to the kitchen, and he slipped quietly down the hall to his own room, chucking his clothes down in the corner and wrenching his pyjamas out from underneath his pillow. He threw them on as quickly as possible and cast a quick cleaning charm over himself, hoping that he didn't look as utterly shagged as he felt.

He made his way back out into the corridor then noisily down the stairs and through to the kitchen. Harry was sitting at the table while Severus appeared to making coffee. Ron's eyes darted between both men as though not trusting the little scene of domesticity that they had adopted.

"Hey Harry," he said, running a hand through his hair as Harry's eyes flickered up to it.

"Alright mate?" Harry said with a smile. "Heard about your collar yesterday, nice one. Kingsley's made up."

Ron snorted and took a seat at the table. "I bet he is, as they'll all be in the office when it's us poor bastards running up and down the country doing all the hard work. You look as knackered as I feel," he added as he took in the dark circles under Harry's eyes.

"Thanks mate," Harry said, rolling his eyes and resting his chin on his hand. "It's been a busy week. It'd be easier if I'd managed to see Drake at least once but he's been spirited away with Gin on a recon mission."

"How is Draco?" asked Severus as he moved to the table and placed the cafetiere and mugs on it. He summoned the milk and sugar, handing the sugar bowl to Ron, who took it with a smile.

"He's fine," said Harry, his face taking on the usual slightly dreamy expression it always did when talking about the former Slytherin. "He's doing a lot better now, and he likes working with Gin. I wish we got to work together, but you know what the regulations are like when it comes to pairing people who are involved."

Ron bit the inside of his cheeks and concentrated on spooning a healthy mound of sugar into his cup, trying very hard to stop the self-satisfied smile that was trying to spread across his face.

"He said to send his regards by the way," Harry told Severus as he took a sip of his coffee, and the man inclined his head in response.

Their relationship was a lot less antagonistic these days and had been so since Ron and Severus had started working together. Ron acted as a kind of ballast between them and they could now hold a conversation that was civil and, at times, even respectful. Harry's relationship with Draco was also a contributing factor, as Draco was still close to his former mentor and made sure that Harry knew how highly he regarded the man.

"So, I hear you've got the week off," Harry said, turning back to Ron. "Fancy getting up to some mischief? I'm off assignment this week too."

Ron's eyes flickered up to Severus before he could stop them, and he saw in the man's face what he himself was thinking. After what had happened between them the night before Ron had planned to spend the week decidedly horizontal and devoid of clothing, letting Severus use his body any way he saw fit.

He cleared his throat and looked up at his friend, saying, "Do you know what, mate? I'm not feeling very well. I think it's been coming for weeks and now I've finally stopped running around like a rabid fruit fly, it's bloody well caught up with me. I think I'm just going to spend some time confined to bed," he said, trying not to smirk at that little grain of truth.

He could feel Severus' eyes on him across the table, and he had to fight not to look up and meet them. He hoped he wasn't being presumptuous, but he rather thought that that was how Severus had intended to spend the week too.

"Oh that's a shame," said Harry, but his expression was sympathetic. "Still, if you're not well, best place for you is bed. I'm sure your mum will be round with some remedies and plenty of her cooking."

"Nah," said Ron, shaking his head, "no need to bother her. It's nothing serious, just a bit run down I think. A few days in bed will do me the world of good."

He felt the tips of his ears heat slightly, and he was sure that Harry's eyebrows rose slightly as he saw the blush creep over him, but thankfully his friend said nothing.

"Well, if that's the case, I should let you get some rest," Harry said, draining the remnants of his coffee. "I'll send you an owl in a couple of days, see how you're feeling," he said, getting up and moving to the fireplace. "Look after him eh sir?" he said with a grin towards Severus.

"I shall do my best, Mr Potter," Severus replied, and Ron could hear the beautiful roll of velvet in the man's voice.

Harry disappeared into the flames and was gone in seconds, leaving Ron and Severus alone once again. Severus sipped at his coffee, then slowly lowered his cup, regarding Ron over the rim of it.

"You didn't have to do that," he said eventually, and Ron couldn't help but grin at him.

"I did if it meant getting to spend the week in your bed without hindrance," he replied, and was gratified to see Severus' eyes flash as he did so. "That is," he added, knowing full well that he was being provocative, "if you want me in your bed."

Severus rose slowly from the table and moved around to Ron's side, laying one hand on the table in front of him while his other held Ron's chin gently. "You already know the answer to that," he murmured softly before leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to Ron's lips. "By the way," he added, pulling back, his hand resting on Ron's cheek, "you have your pyjamas on back to front."

* * *

Ron had often wondered what it would be like to spend hours upon hours in bed with a lover, to tease and torment each other's bodies while learning all the little things that could drive each other mad. He was now aware that his idle musings had fallen decidedly short. Having sex with Severus was an experience for which he had no comparison, and he had no desire to waste time trying to find one.

He had always imagined that the man would be rough and dominating in bed, and while he was certainly capable of being so when the occasion called for it, he was far more sensual a lover than Ron had ever imagined he would be. He seemed to revel in taking his time exploring Ron's body, getting to know every inch of it, learning which sensations would reduce Ron to a needy, babbling heap.

Ron himself, had never known that his body was capable of giving him so much pleasure. He had always thought he was pretty adept at a decent wank, and he'd enjoyed the couple of times he had had sex, but it was nothing compared to the way Severus made his body swell and break like a wave.

The thing that surprised him the most was just how much he trusted Severus. He felt perfectly at ease giving over every ounce of control he possessed to the man, and each time Severus took him, he felt such a sweet release in the action that he could have wept.

He kept waiting for the situation to hit him, for it to feel weird or strange, this was his former teacher after all, and a man he had hated for many years, but instead he found that nothing had ever felt quite so right to him. He had been attracted to the man for many months now and he had never thought he would have the opportunity to learn his body so intimately.

Severus was currently sprawled out beneath him while Ron lay buried between the man's thighs, his mouth wrapped around the man's not unsubstantial cock. In the space of a week he had gone from never having given another man head to taking Severus in his mouth at every opportunity he got. He had always thought that oral sex was something one did under sufferance, as a means of getting the action repaid, but each time he performed the act, he realised that he relished it.

He loved being able to make Severus moan and sigh beneath him, loved it when the man's hand came to twist in his hair and the hips under him would arch, pressing the man's prick deeper into his throat. Apparently he had a talent for deepthroating, something that Severus had seemed fairly delighted with, and Ron loved being able to please the man so intensely.

He moved up and down the firm shaft in his mouth, increasing the suction as he went and using the flat of his tongue to guide his movements. He sucked his way back up to the leaking head and swirled his tongue around it, humming slightly and knowing that he was bringing Severus close to completion.

A low groan sounded from above his head, followed by hand twining through his hair. "Wait, wait," came Severus' breathy voice, and Ron halted his actions to look up at the man,

"Why?" he asked, his hand continuing to make soft, languid strokes up and down the man's erection.

Severus' hips continued to move, thrusting gently into Ron's hand, a slightly wicked smile on his lips. "Because I want to come with you inside me."

Ron's eyes widened and his hand halted. "You want…you want me to…"

"If you'd be amenable," Severus said with a smirk.

"I'd bloody love to!" Ron said with a grin. "But I thought you wouldn't, I mean…I thought you'd only top."

Severus shrugged slightly and said, "Some men prefer to top or bottom exclusively, but I enjoy both, and I'm dying to know what you feel like inside me."

Ron groaned and gave Severus' cock an excited squeeze. "Fuck, I'd love it, if you're sure."

Severus leant down and grabbed Ron's arm, yanking him upwards and pulling him into a kiss. Ron responded eagerly, finding it hard to believe when there was a time he had never done this. His tongue met Severus' and he moaned softly before feeling something pressed into his hand.

He broke the kiss and looked down to see the small jar of lubricant they had been using all week. He felt a thrill go through him as he undid the lid and dipped his fingers inside, coating them well in the slippery contents. He met Severus eyes and gave him a nervous smile. The man reached out and placed a hand on his cheek, saying,

"Just go slowly."

Ron nodded and leant down to meet Severus lips once again as he moved his hand lower until his fingers found the man's entrance. He felt a little apprehensive, but he knew what felt good to him, knew how Severus managed to use those beautifully long fingers to tease and excite him, and he felt confident he could replicate the sensations.

He circled his fingers a couple of times, his touch light and gentle. He oiled the ring of muscle thoroughly, Severus moaning softly against his lips as he did so. He carefully breached Severus with one finger, then another, and Severus' hand gripped the base of his head firmly as he thrust them in and out of the man's body.

He stretched and prepared him, feeling his anticipation grow, his erection swelling almost painfully, desperate to replace his fingers and bury himself deep inside the man. He broke the kiss and looked down at Severus, who, it had to be said, looked deliciously wanton as he writhed beneath him, face flushed with desire. That he could reduce the stoic man to this was thrilling.

He moved a little and coated his erection well with the lubricant, then shifted so he was hovering over Severus, lining himself up with the man's entrance. He bit his lip, nervous and excited, still slightly disbelieving that Severus was letting him do this.

"You're blushing," Severus purred up at him, and a dim part of Ron's brain wondered if it was possible to come just to the sound of that voice.

"Shut up," Ron growled, "and spread your legs."

A black eyebrow rose but Severus nevertheless complied. "I never suspected you had a dominant side, we shall have to explore this more fully."

"Oh fuck yes," Ron breathed as he nudged his hips forward and felt the head of cock push through the tight ring of muscle. He willed himself to go slowly, in danger as he was of being overwhelmed by the beautiful sensation of being engulfed by tight, warm heat.

He pushed forward a little further and the look on Severus' face told him that the man was in no pain, far from it in fact, and he continued until he was fully sheathed in his body. He rocked his hips a little and moved in and out tentatively, deciding there and then that this beat sex with girls into a cocked hat.

"Oh fuck Severus," he whispered as he thrust in a little harder. Feeling the man's body beneath his own was so perfect, so delicious. Severus' legs wound around his waist, holding him tightly and drawing him in deeper.

"I want you to fuck me," Severus said firmly, arching himself up to meet Ron's thrusts. "Hard," he instructed through gritted teeth, and Ron was only too happy to comply.

He braced himself on strong arms and withdrew almost completely only to slam back in to the keening body beneath him. "Fuck yes," Severus growled, throwing his head back against the pillow as he clenched down around Ron. The sensation nearly spelled the end for Ron, but he held on, not wanting this to end prematurely.

"You feel fantastic," Severus said in between breaths, looking up at him with those dark, intense eyes. "I can feel every inch of you driving into me, fucking me."

"Oh fuck," Ron groaned, Severus' words sending little pulses of pleasure skittering through him. Severus had never been this vocal before and Ron found that he liked it a lot. "You want me to fuck you harder?" he whispered as he angled his hips differently and Severus reached up to grip his forearms so tightly he was sure he'd be bruised the next day.

"God yes," Severus said, his eyes squeezing shut as he met Ron thrust for thrust, impaling himself thoroughly each time.

"Say it," Ron instructed, a little thrilled at this side to himself he never knew existed.

"Fuck me. Hard," Severus hissed, his eyes opening to meet Ron's and Ron nearly came undone at the look of raw desire he saw staring back at him. He complied happily, holding himself up on arms that he was glad were as strong as they were, and slammed into Severus hard and fast.

Severus was moaning loudly, and Ron suddenly wanted nothing more than to make him scream, to make him beg. The next time he had Severus at his mercy, he fully intended to do just that. For now though, all he could do was fuck the man senseless, ramming himself into that tight, fucking gorgeous body until he felt Severus erupt all over his stomach as well as his own.

One more hard thrust and Ron was finished too, coming with a low groan as he spent himself inside Severus' body. He held himself up on shaky arms for a moment longer, then collapsed forward, pressing against Severus' fantastically ravaged body.

"Oh God," he moaned against Severus' collar bone, feeling the man's chest move up and down beneath him in ragged breaths. "That was fucking incredible," he wheezed. "I could spend the rest of my life fucking you."

Severus chuckled softly beneath him and Ron manoeuvred himself to the side slightly, propping himself up on his elbow to look at the man. "That was alright, wasn't it?" he asked, feeling suddenly self-conscious.

Severus' eyes danced with amusement, and Ron couldn't believe he had once thought that the man was only capable of sneering or glaring. "Did my begging and moaning not give you a clue? It was infinitely better than 'alright' and I'll thank you to make sure the experience is repeated on a regular basis."

"No fear," said Ron with a grin. He leant down and ran his tongue along Severus' throat and murmured, "I'll be burying myself inside you every chance I get."

"Insatiable little bugger," Severus muttered, and Ron could hear the hitch of desire in the man's voice. "Settle down and let an old man sleep. I need all the help I can get if I'm to keep up with you."

* * *

As it happened, neither man needed any help or encouragement to keep up with the other, and it soon became apparent that they were more sexually compatible than either would have guessed.

Their week of delightful debauchery came to an end far too quickly, but as they were often the only two people at Grimmauld Place, where they were stationed when not on assignment, they still managed to find ample opportunity to slip into one another's bed.

Ron had always imagined that one partner would have to be the dominant one and one the submissive, but it seemed that he and Severus were equally capable of playing both roles and enjoyed being at one another's mercy. He adored being pinned down by Severus' body, made to beg, made to surrender as the man used him shamelessly, pounding into him as he screamed Severus' name.

By the same token, he loved it when the tables were turned. He loved dominating the man, he loved that he was able to rip filthy things from the man's lips as he made him scream, as he reduced him to a babbling heap of need. They were both comfortable initiating sex and in being the one letting himself be seduced. Ron had never felt as exhilarated in his life before.

"When is this fucking meeting going to start?" he whispered to Severus, who was sitting next to him at the kitchen table in Grimmauld Place while they waited for Dumbledore to signal for silence and begin the weekly briefing.

"Eager to hear the latest news?" Severus returned with a smirk.

Ron leant as close as he was able without arousing suspicion and murmured, "No Severus, I'm eager to get back to the bedroom and press you up against the door while I sink to my knees and rim the fucking life out of you."

"You have a sinful mouth you little brat," Severus said through gritted teeth.

"What's the matter? Am I getting you all hot and bothered?" Ron asked with a grin. "Are you imaging me kneeling behind you, my face buried in your arse as I fuck you senseless with my tongue?"

"I think I preferred you when you were a blushing virgin," Severus ground out.

"It's your fault I'm not," Ron returned smoothly. "You fucked the naivety out of me, quite expertly I might add. You taught me everything I know."

"Oh, I have much more to teach you my little monster," Severus purred, retaining a little of his composure. "Believe me when I say that your lessons will continue in earnest."

"I can't fucking wait," Ron said, pulling his head back and letting Severus see the burning longing in his eyes. The answering look he saw reflected back at him was almost enough to make him say fuck propriety, fuck being found out, and just shag the life of out his lover there and then.

_Lover_, now there was a thought. It was how Ron had begun to think of Severus in his mind, and he found that he rather liked it. It was an apt epithet after all, and there was something deliciously decadent about having a _lover_, something that spoke of torrid affairs and passionate liaisons.

Of course, he had never imagined that Severus Snape of all people would end up his lover, but he wasn't about to argue with it. He was sure that if people knew they would think he had lost his mind, but nothing had ever made more sense to him.

Dumbledore finally called for silence and everyone settled themselves into a seat or arranged themselves around the room. Draco was standing with his arms wrapped around Harry's waist, his head resting on the man's shoulder, both listening carefully but it was obvious that their main focus was one another.

Ron wondered what people would think if he and Severus stood like that. He wondered how they'd react if Severus pulled him into his arms and kissed him as though it was the most natural thing in the world. It would never happen though, would it? That sort of behaviour was for people who were in proper relationships, not for people who were only in it for the, admittedly fantastic, sex.

It was better not to complicate things with other people, Ron supposed. This way, no one had a say in what went on but them, no one interfered with them, no one expected anything of them. They could just get on and do what they did so well, why argue with a winning formula?

He shifted in his seat, trying to get a little more comfortable on the old wooden bench, listening as Dumbledore outlined operations for the next six weeks. It was nothing he didn't already know but he continued to pay attention, or at least to give the air of doing so, something that became infinitely more difficult as he felt familiar long fingers tease over his thigh.

His eyes widened slightly but he kept looking forward, knowing that to look at Severus would be a big mistake. The long fingers drew circles against the fabric of his trousers and he resisted a shiver as the action tickled his skin. He should have known that Severus would have these sorts of inclinations.

The hand moved and began cupping him through his trousers, his traitorous cock hardening instantly. Ron braced his forearms on the table and tried to tilt his hips away but Severus was having none of it, holding him in place with a little more pressure than Ron was used to on his more sensitive areas.

Severus cleared his throat to cover the sound of unzipping Ron's trousers and Ron prayed to any deity that was listening that his face wasn't as red as it felt. Severus extracted his now fully hard cock from his trousers (why the hell had he foregone underpants?) and wrapped a tight hand around it.

Ron bit down hard on his lip and thought of the many ways he was going to kill Severus when he got the chance. He was being stroked firmly, just the way he liked, then Severus dipped further into his trousers and gave his balls a hard squeeze. Ron couldn't help himself, an undignified squeak rose up from his throat and most eyes in the room turned to look at him.

"Everything alright, my boy?" Dumbledore asked, peering over his spectacles at him.

"Y-yes sir," Ron replied, unable to believe that Severus still hadn't stopped. "I…I've pulled a muscle in my back and it just spasmed," he said, wishing he was a more convincing liar.

"Oh dear, poor you," Dumbledore said sympathetically. "Severus, perhaps you could provide Mr Weasley with a potion that would offer him some relief?"

"Of course sir," Severus said smoothly. "I'd be only too happy to provide Mr Weasley with whatever relief I can."

_Oh you bastard_, Ron thought as he clenched his teeth together, _you devious, delicious bastard_.

It seemed though that Severus had no intention of providing any such relief while the meeting lasted. He kept Ron on the edge of orgasm for the whole forty minutes, refusing to allow him anything more than a glimpse of what he so desperately wanted.

Severus knew full well that he needed consistent pressure, that he loved being stroked hard and fast, but instead he kept changing the pace and swapping from holding him firmly to barely touching. He kept ghosting his fingers up and down his painfully hard erection, sweeping down every now and again to tease along his balls.

By the time the meeting drew to an end Ron was ready to burst. He was sitting with his cock hanging out, his face flushed and just about ready to grab Severus and fuck him into the table. He couldn't stand up to bid anyone goodbye, and so had to pretend that his back was hurting, while leaning forward into the table enough to make sure no one saw the state he was in.

Dumbledore, it seemed, wanted to speak to Severus for several minutes after everyone else had left and Ron was trying very hard not to sit and glare at his former headmaster. Severus was the picture of composure, standing opposite Dumbledore with his hands gently clasped behind his back, nodding as the man spoke. Every now and again he would shoot a sly smirk Ron's way and Ron began plotting the man's demise with renewed vigour.

"Well I'll be on my way," Dumbledore said finally, heading towards the fireplace. "I do hope your back improves soon," he said, twinkling in Ron's direction.

"Thank you sir," Ron said, feeling Severus' smug smile burn into the back of his skull.

Dumbledore beamed and chucked a handful of powder into the flames before stepping in and disappearing. Ron whipped his head around to face Severus and tried to remember how to breathe.

"You bastard," he hissed.

"Now now," Severus purred, "you'll hurt your back if you get agitated."

"You utter, utter bastard!"

"That'll teach you to start games you have no hope of winning," Severus replied with a perfect arch of his eyebrow.

Ron rose from the table, uncaring of how ridiculous he looked with his hard cock hanging out of his trousers. He stalked over to Severus and grabbed a fistful of his robes and pulled him out of the kitchen. There was no way he had the patience to make it up to either of their rooms, but he at least had the presence of mind to relocate them somewhere without a floo.

With more power than he was aware he possessed he spelled first Severus' clothes off, then his own, surprising himself in the process. It was remarkable what his lust for this man made him capable of.

He flung Severus around and pressed him up against the wall, pressing his body hard against him and whispering into his ear, "I'm going to make you sorry for that little game."

"You loved it," Severus replied as he braced himself against the wall. "You love everything I do to you."

"Mm," Ron hummed as he buried his nose in the man's dark hair. "I do. I love the way you use my body, and I love the way I use yours. I love burying myself deep in your arse, I love having you beneath me, begging me. I love that filthy mouth of yours and the terrible things I can make you say. I love fucking you."

"Best get on and do it then, hadn't you?" Severus said, and Ron was determined to wipe the smile of his lover's face.

Neither of them had the time or the patience for lengthy preparation, so Ron performed the lubrication spell Severus had taught him. He slicked himself and Severus well before sliding inside the man in one smooth motion.

Severus groaned low in his throat, and Ron felt the usual thrill go through him at having this wonderful man at his mercy. He began to move in hard, firm thrusts, both of them so worked up that he knew it wouldn't take long.

He pounded into Severus mercilessly, gripping the man's shoulder tightly with one hand while the other held on with bruising firmness to Severus' hip. Severus was making delicious noises and Ron found himself adding a few of his own as the man's gloriously tight heat engulfed him.

"Fuck," Ron growled low in Severus' ear, "I could do this forever. The only thing that feels as good as this is having you inside me."

Severus moaned in agreement, unable to reply properly as Ron continued to use his body with abandon. Ron lost himself in the sheer pleasure of it, moulding his chest to Severus' back as Severus met every thrust readily, impaling himself deeper every time. Ron knew that he would experience nothing sweeter, nothing more intense with anyone ever, and his lust-fogged brain realised that he didn't want to.

He didn't want to do this with anyone else. There was, he was certain, no way of replicating this delicious, overwhelming arrangement with another person. No one's body would feel as perfect beneath his own as Severus' did, and no one would be able to wring every last drop of pleasure from him as the dark-haired man was able to.

He closed his eyes, gripping tightly and thrusting ever harder, feeling Severus clench around him, increasing his pleasure. "You're so tight, so fucking tight," he hissed into the man's ear. "Nothing could ever feel as good as this."

He rammed into Severus with every last ounce of energy he possessed, having the presence of mind to reach over Severus' hip and grasp the man's heavy cock. He stroked firmly a couple of times before the man came with a messy spatter against the wall, then made a few more deep assaults before he too came, biting down on Severus' shoulder as he did so.

Ron collapsed against Severus, pressing him further against the wall, nuzzling against his shoulder as he did so.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asked gently as he felt his spent prick begin to slide out from the man's body.

"No," Severus murmured, and Ron thought he could detect the sound of a smile. "No, I've no complaints about that performance."

"I got a bit carried away," Ron said, feeling suddenly apologetic.

Severus turned around in his arms and placed his hands on Ron's waist, pulling him closer with a smile. "I enjoyed every second of you pounding into me like there was no tomorrow," he said, his voice low, sending shivers along Ron's nerves. "Just as I shall enjoy it the next time I do the same thing to you."

"Mm," Ron hummed happily, rubbing the edge of Severus' jaw with the bridge of his nose. "I can't wait. I love what you do to me."

Severus' hands stroked the soft skin of his ribs and waist and Ron nestled his head under the man's chin. He could feel the sticky mess covering both their bodies, and he said with a smile,

"I think we could both do with a shower, Professor."

Severus groaned and said, "If you think I'm up to a repeat performance then you're obviously forgetting that I'm no longer 20."

Ron chuckled and raised his head to place a few light kisses along Severus' strong jaw. "As much as I love your faith in my powers of recovery, I really did just mean a shower. Much more fun with someone else there though."

* * *

"That is very obviously a broomstick. I thought I told you to show a little imagination."

Ron laughed, his head pillowed on Severus' chest as continued to draw patterns on the man's skin. "Go on then, guess what that was."

"How childish," Severus replied, slinging an arm behind his head. "Teenage boys go around drawing cocks on things."

"But it's yours," Ron protested, and Severus huffed.

"I bloody well hope not, mine's not wonky."

"You're a fool," Ron said fondly, placing a kiss to the expanse of pale skin beneath his lips. He began to trace idle patterns with his finger, running it up and down the man's ribs and down over his taut stomach.

Severus' hand came to rest in his hair and Ron smiled as long fingers began to move through the thick tresses. They had both had a trying few days chasing down leads and trying to scare up information regarding possible future attacks, and both were tired.

They had returned to Grimmauld Place a couple of hours earlier, and, finding themselves the only occupants as usual, retreated to Severus' bedroom. They had peeled their clothing away and shared a few languid and pleasurable kisses before reclining together on the bed, at ease in their nakedness.

They had lain entangled with one another's limbs, speaking of the past few days and what had been accomplished. As tired as he was, Ron had felt a wonderful sense of contentment roll through him as he sprawled out alongside his lover's body, wanting to be as much in man's company as possible.

They seemed to be spending every waking, and indeed non-waking, moment together. They spent their days fulfilling Order missions, working side-by-side as they had done before they had finally crossed the line to become bedfellows, and spent their nights bringing one another to wonderful heights of pleasure.

Ron was finding it more and more difficult to be away from the man, and his nights were spent wrapped around Severus' body. He knew they were being careless, that anyone could drop by Order headquarters and discover them, but after they spent a wonderful evening making love, the last thing Ron wanted to do was to slope off and sleep alone.

"I love your body," he murmured against Severus' skin, letting his fingers dance over the slim hips, exploring the places he knew by heart.

"It takes all sorts," Severus muttered, and Ron grinned. Severus would never be convinced of his own appeal.

"What's not to love?" Ron returned, tracing more intricate patterns up and down the man's lean thighs. "Strong, lean, sexy, all wrapped up in soft, pale flesh that my tongue can spend hours lavishing attention on. You have no idea how you feel beneath my hands, how I just have to look at you and I'm hard."

"Is that so?" Severus asked, his voice low and teasing.

"Mmhmm," Ron hummed against the man's ribs. "Every time you walk into a room my body reacts to you. All I can think about is what you can do to me."

"What do you want me to do to you now?" Severus whispered.

"Anything you bloody want," Ron replied, and seconds later found himself on his back, pinned firmly against the bed by a body he knew as well as his own.

"That's a dangerous thing to say Mr Weasley," Severus purred, his dark eyes glistening. "I wonder if you know what you're letting yourself in for."

"Whatever you want to do to me, Professor," Ron said, his body very obviously in agreement. "I'm at your mercy."

A black eyebrow arched and Ron felt a shiver of anticipation go through him. Severus grabbed hold of both his wrists and Ron suddenly found himself bound to the bedframe by thick ropes.

"Do you trust me?" Severus asked in the same playful tones, but Ron knew he was seriously asking the question.

"With my life," Ron replied sincerely, and something flashed across Severus' eyes momentarily before it was replaced with the previous look of hungry desire.

Severus leant forward and brushed his lips softly against Ron's ear before saying, "If you want me to stop, just say 'halt' any time you need to."

Ron closed his eyes and let the feeling of safety mingled with anticipation wash over him, knowing that he would never have let anyone besides Severus do this to him. "I'm hoping for the ride of my life, Professor," he replied, his voice matching the low, conspiratorial tone of Severus'.

Severus' smile was nothing short of evil and Ron bit down on his lip as he looked up at his lover. "Let me do that for you," Severus said, his voice deliciously sensuous. He leant forward and captured Ron's bottom lip between his teeth, biting down hard before immediately sucking on it to soothe the sting.

He was released and his head fell back against the pillow, Severus following to bite and suck the tender flesh of Ron's throat. Ron felt his body surrender entirely just as his vision was completely obscured by a heavy blindfold. With his most dominant sense taken away from him, his body decided to focus solely on touch, and his brain dimly agreed with the course of action.

Severus was snaking down his body, his fingers navigating the path, his warm lips following after. A murmured spell he didn't recognise was followed by the feeling of a feather dancing over his skin. He gasped as the delicate implement tickled the skin of his ribs then moved lower across his stomach and over his hips, teasing and tormenting his sensitive flesh.

He was just beginning to adjust to the gentle stimulation when another sensation came into play, the feeling of something sharp being scraped across his skin. Knowing that Severus had no nails to speak of, he suspected another spell. His mind couldn't keep up with the interplay of hard of soft, couldn't predict whether he would feel the sting of being scratched or the tickle of the feather, and he found himself loving every second of it.

He felt his mouth nudged open and seconds later found it full of Severus' swollen prick. "Suck," Severus instructed firmly, and Ron complied, supressing an undignified squeak as he felt cold, unyielding metal wrap around the base of his cock, squeezing him tightly.

"You'll come when I say," Severus said, and Ron found himself loving the need to obey. He continued to suck up and down the length of Severus' hardness, feeling hampered somewhat by being unable to bring his hands into play. Severus didn't seem to mind though, and Ron felt the man press himself all the way to the back of his throat, fucking his mouth mercilessly.

His cock was throbbing painfully, and he whimpered when he heard another murmured spell, wondering what fresh torture he was in for now. He soon found out as he felt the sensation of a warm, wet tongue lathing the head of his pulsing cock.

He groaned around Severus' prick, feeling ready to explode at any minute. "Keep sucking," Severus instructed, his voice hard, and Ron felt the cold metal constrict around his cock painfully.

He couldn't keep track of the spells Severus kept murmuring, and as the phantom tongue kept swiping over his erection, his feet were assaulted by the feeling of sharp, evil pinpricks. His mind checked out, unable to focus on either the pleasure or the pain solely, the two melting overwhelmingly into one.

The prick was pulled from his mouth and he gasped a mouthful of air, which quickly turned into a low, almost pained groan as he felt the man's tongue at his entrance. Before he could summon another breath, he was being rimmed within an inch of his life, Severus' tongue working in and out of him mercilessly.

"Oh fuck Severus, please," he begged, his voice hitching.

"Please what?" Severus growled, keeping his lips close to Ron's flesh, sending vibrations through his whole body.

"I need…need to come," Ron said breathlessly as he continued to be assaulted by the sensations Severus had unleashed on him.

"Beg me," Severus commanded, and Ron felt a slickened finger tease its way inside him.

"Please…please fuck me. I need you…need you inside me. I can't…can't hold out," he groaned.

His cock swelled against the metal sheath it was contained in, desperate for release as the licking continued in earnest, pressing warm wetness up and down the hard shaft. Fingers plunged in and out of him, stretching him, fucking him, brushing deliberately against his prostate and making him pull against his now painful constraints.

Without warning, all the spells ceased and the sensations disappeared, then, in one hard thrust, Severus was inside him. Ron arched off the bed with a guttural moan as his body welcomed every inch of his lover's prick as it pounded into him. He was thrust into over and over again, his body a welcoming sheath for Severus' hard, wonderful length. His frazzled senses blurred then abandoned him altogether to pool completely into one earth-shatteringly intense orgasm.

He came with a harsh, raw cry, feeling as though someone had poured molten lava through his veins, feeling every nerve in his body was on fire. His body shook as Severus fucked him until he found his own completion and he heard the man shudder above him. If anyone had asked him his own name at that point he wouldn't have been able to tell them.

He was breathing in hard, ragged gasps, wondering if he would ever be able to walk straight again. He felt Severus withdraw from his body carefully and murmur a quick cleaning spell before releasing his wrists from their bonds. He collapsed against the bed and the blindfold was plucked gently from his eyes.

"Alright?" Severus whispered softly as Ron blinked, trying to let his eyes adjust to the light again.

"Yes, I think so," he stuttered with a laugh.

Severus gathered him into his arms and Ron trembled in the man's hold, trying to bring his breathing under control. Severus pressed soft kisses to the top of his head as he gently massaged his sore wrists.

"I'll heal these or they'll leave marks," Severus murmured against his hair.

"No, leave them," Ron said, tilting his head to look up at the man. "I want to be able to look at the bruising and remember what you did to me. It was amazing."

Severus leant down and met Ron's lips with his own in a tender kiss. Ron melted into it, thinking that he had never trusted anyone the way he did Severus. He was exhausted, mentally and physically, and he could think of nothing sweeter than to let himself fall asleep in the man's arms, surrounded the person who had given him more pleasure than he had ever dreamt possible.

"I love you," he whispered against Severus' warm mouth before he felt the heavy tendrils of sleep pull him under.

* * *

It wasn't until his shower the next day that Ron remembered what he had said. He was lathering himself up, grinning down stupidly at the bruising on his wrists that he would have to hide from others, when he remembered how blissful he had felt afterwards.

He froze as he reached for his shampoo, trying to remember what had happened after the words had slipped out. There was nothing beyond it in his memory, the next thing he had known was waking up in the man's arms and feeling every inch of his body ache.

What was he going to say? How could he take it back? Perhaps Severus hadn't heard, or perhaps he had just put it down to the haze of the afterglow Ron had been in at the time. What if he'd messed it all up? What if Severus was lying in bed thinking how to break it off now that Ron had crossed a line and said something so unbelievably stupid?

He finished his shower and spelled himself dry. He continued his morning ablutions – shaving, brushing his teeth and running a comb through his damp hair – then leant against the sink for a moment, trying to work out what to say.

_Damn it, you're being a coward_, he chastised himself. _Just bloody go out there and face him._ Giving advice was so much easier than taking it he thought with a grimace as he wrapped himself up in his dressing gown and moved back into the bedroom.

Severus was already up and looked as though he was finishing dressing. He turned to face Ron and Ron felt a wave of relief wash over him when it didn't look as though the man was about to initiate 'the talk'.

"I've just received word from Tullington," he said, holding up a piece of parchment.

"That contact you've been trying to reach for weeks?" Ron asked.

Severus nodded. "I have to go and meet with him, but I'll have to go alone. He's a twitchy little fuck."

Ron knew better than to argue and he crossed the room to place his hands on Severus' shoulders. "You will be careful, won't you?"

"Of course," Severus replied, wrapping his arms around Ron's waist and pulling him closer. "I'll be back in a few days, keep the bed warm for me while I'm gone."

"How do you know I won't find someone to fill it in your absence?"

Severus' eyes glittered and he tightened his hold on Ron's waist as he said, "Because I don't share well with others, especially something that's so precious to me."

Ron thought his heart had actually skipped a beat and he leant forward to press his lips against Severus', sweeping the man up in a kiss he was sure he'd remember during their separation.

Severus moved a hand up to cup the back of Ron's head and the kiss turned from intense to tender, a gesture of goodbye. They pulled apart and Ron rested his forehead against Severus', whispering softly, "Be safe. I'll be here when you get back."

"See you in a few days," Severus said, placing a kiss to Ron's forehead and giving his waist a squeeze before he left the room, casting him a soft smile as he went.

As Ron stood there, gazing at the bed that had been the scene of such an amazing time the night before, he realised that he didn't want to take back the words he had said. He swallowed around a lump in his throat and tried to stop his thoughts from spinning as his poor brain tried to catch up with what his body already knew.

He was in love with Severus, there was no disputing it. He sat down on the edge of the bed, running his hands over the sheets that bore testimony to the night before and allowed a small smile to creep over his lips.

"Fuck," he whispered into the empty room. "Who would have thought it?"

He went through the next few days in a haze. He missed Severus more than he expected to, and although he wasn't expecting any contact from him, it didn't stop him from worrying. He found himself sneaking glances at his abused wrists, smiling at the memory they invoked.

His missed Severus' hands on his body, missed the man's voice in his ear and, most of all, missed falling asleep in his arms. The bed seemed too big without him and he couldn't get used to waking up in the middle of the night and reaching for him only to find that his hand met with the tangles of the bedding.

It was most unfair, he thought, to have discovered he was in love with the man just as he was taken away from him. It gave him ample time to think about it, though, gave him time to consider if what he felt was real or just the product of really great sex.

He knew the answer of course, it was bloody obvious. If was just about the sex he wouldn't be missing the man the way he was, wouldn't be aching to see him again, to spend half the night talking as they had done so often. He felt that he knew Severus better than anyone, that the man knew him in ways no one else did or could, not even Harry.

"Perhaps I should just go, at least if I'm alone and talking to myself I won't feel like quite such a prat," came Harry's voice, cutting through his reverie.

"Sorry mate, I was miles away," he said, tearing his eyes from his half-drunk glass of scotch and looking up at his friend.

"That much is obvious," Harry said with a smile. "What's up?"

"Oh just thinking," Ron said with a shrug.

"Wonders will never cease. Since when do you drink scotch, anyway?" Harry asked, having a sip of his own, which Ron had offered and he had accepted with slight bewilderment.

_Since it reminds me of the way he tastes_, Ron thought, bringing the glass to his lips and inhaling the familiar scent. "I've just developed a taste for it I suppose," he said quietly, letting the smell comfort him.

"No word yet from Snape then?" Harry asked, and Ron shook his head.

"This contact he's gone to see, he's a funny sort of fella. You're never really sure which side he's on. It makes me jumpy, I just want Severus back here, where he's safe."

Harry eyed him closely for a moment and Ron felt his face heat under the scrutiny. Harry knew him so well and he had never been good at lying. If his friend asked the right questions, he knew the truth would come tumbling out.

Harry seemed to decide against pushing the issue though and yawned loudly before saying, "Drake's back tomorrow. I can't bloody wait."

"Please," said Ron, holding up a hand, "spare me the details of your sexual escapades. You promised me no more stories."

Harry grinned and was obviously about to break that promise when the fireplace sputtered and Severus stumbled out through the flames. Ron was on his feet in seconds, moving to the man's side as he saw he was injured.

"Severus!" he said, wrapping an arm around the man's waist and taking his weight. "What's happened?"

Severus was filthy and had dried blood all over his face. His robes were torn and dirty, and he was carrying himself with difficulty. "I'm ok," he wheezed.

"No you're not," Ron said, trying to stamp down his fear. "Shall I call a Healer? Where are you injured? Let me see."

"Ron," Severus said gently, cupping his chin and bringing his head up so their eyes met, "I'm ok, I promise. I have a couple of broken ribs and a slight singe from a burning hex, but other than that I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Ron asked, not feeling remotely convinced, his fear still winning over rationality.

"I'm sure," Severus answered, and Ron let his forehead rest against the man's as relief washed over him.

He suddenly remembered that Harry was still in the room, and was standing only a few feet away watching the scene with undisguised interest. He pulled back slightly and told his friend, "I'll just help Severus up the stairs and see he's alright."

Harry nodded, his sharp green eyes darting between Ron and Severus, his expression inscrutable. Ron gave him a smile and wound Severus' arm around his shoulders, helping him out of the kitchen. They slowly made their way up the stairs, Severus' movements obviously hampered by pain.

He led him into the man's bedroom and moved to stand opposite him, his hands moving to the buttons of his robes. He slowly divested the man of his clothing, peeling away the singed outer robes, then his filthy shirt and finally his trousers. He guided him into the bathroom and soaked a flannel in warm water, gently dabbing away the grime from the body that he loved.

It occurred to Ron that he could have done this with a simple charm, but it seemed impersonal, uncaring. He wanted to do it by hand, to care for Severus, to assure himself that the man was alright, that he was really there as flesh and blood.

Severus stood quietly and let himself be tended to. Ron was as gentle as he could be, worried by the bruising over Severus' ribs and the various other wounds he spied as he continued to bathe the man's body.

Severus allowed himself to be helped back to the bedroom and into the bed, assuring Ron that he needed no medical attention and would be fine after a decent night's sleep. Ron refrained from tucking the man in, having no wish to act like his mother, and settled for perching next to him, holding his hand gently.

"You gave me a fright," he said, feeling foolish but unable to disguise his concern.

"I'm alright, really. Bloody Tullington got nervous and decided that I was out to get him. The man's an idiot but he can throw a few good hexes."

"I'd better go and let Harry know, I expect he's still waiting in the kitchen."

"You'll come back up when you're done?" Severus asked, and Ron reached out to brush his fingers through the man's damp hair.

"Of course," he whispered. He leant forward and pressed a kiss to Severus' forehead before leaving the room and padding softly down the stairs.

Harry was still sitting at the kitchen table, swilling his mostly undrunk glass of scotch and watching the amber liquid cling to the glass. He looked up as Ron came back in the room and gave him a sweepingly appraising look before saying, "So, you're in love with Snape."

"I – " Ron began to say, then slumped down at the table and nodded, knowing it was pointless to lie.

"Fucking hell," Harry said, letting out a long whistle.

"Don't ask me to explain it mate, I can't," Ron said, attempting a smile.

"I don't think I'd want to hear it anyway," Harry replied with a quirk of his lip. "It's…the real deal though?" Ron nodded, and Harry asked, "And what about him? Does he…is he…you know…too?"

"I don't know," Ron said softly. "I think…I think perhaps he does. It certainly feels like he does sometimes. It's all so…oh I don't know," Ron said with a sigh, smiling in spite of himself. "When I'm with him…it's like nothing else matters. He's still sarcastic and a bit of bastard but he's…so much more than that. He's smart and funny, he's…"

"Ok, Snape's wonderful, I get it," Harry said, holding his hand up with a grin. "Why don't you go upstairs and tell him that rather than sitting down here with me?"

Ron found himself returning the grin. "Thanks for not freaking out, mate."

Harry snorted and said, "I'd be a bit of hypocrite, wouldn't I? I owe you one for not being a dick when Drake and I got together."

"True," Ron said with a sage nod of his head, "very true."

"I'll leave you in peace then. I'll stop by Hogwarts on my way home and let Dumbledore know what's happened," Harry said, getting up and clapping a hand on Ron's shoulder. "It might take people a little while to get their heads around it, but for what it's worth, I think the two of you are good together. You…make sense."

"You think?" Ron asked, tilting his head to look up at his friend.

Harry smiled and said, "Yeah, but I'm in love with a Slytherin too, so these things make more sense to me."

He gave Ron's shoulder a friendly squeeze then headed to the fireplace. Ron waved his hand in goodbye as he watched the man get swallowed up and swept away. He sat at the table for a few more moments, tapping his fingers against the wood and wondering how on earth one went about telling their former professor that they were in love with them.

It didn't have to be now of course. Severus was shattered and a little worn around the edges; the last thing he needed was some sappy Gryffindor declaring undying devotion to him.

He pushed himself up from the table and took a couple of deep breaths before he padded softly up the stairs and made his way to Severus' bedroom. He knocked then let himself in, finding Severus propped up on the pillows, reading in the soft light from the wall sconces.

"Hey," he said, crossing the room to perch on the bed. "How are you doing?"

"I feel like I've been kicked by an elephant, but I'll live," Severus said with a tired smile. "Mr Potter's gone?"

Ron nodded. "He's going to let Dumbledore know what's happened. We can probably expect a visit tomorrow morning."

"Well that'll be something to look forward to," Severus said, rolling his eyes and settling himself more comfortably against the pillows.

"I should probably let you get some rest," Ron said, drawing patterns on the duvet with his forefinger.

"Or you could stay," Severus said softly, reaching out and taking hold of Ron's hand, stopping the moving finger from its crude artwork.

Ron smiled and said, "I don't think you're in any state for a little horizontal activity."

"Nor was I suggesting it," Severus replied, twining his fingers through Ron's. "I've had to sleep alone for over a week and I have no desire to do so now I have you back."

Ron was about to reply when Severus lifted the freckled hand he was holding and raised it to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to Ron's knuckles. The gesture was so tender, almost romantic, that Ron felt his breath catch in his throat.

"Severus," he said, hoping he didn't sound quite as breathless as he felt. "About…about what I said the night before you left…" he trailed off, realising he didn't have a clue what he wanted to say.

"Yes?" Severus prompted, and Ron wanted to wipe the smile off his face.

"I can…I can take it back, if you want me to," he said, feeling his stomach roll.

"Did you mean it?" Severus asked softly, and Ron met his eyes openly as he nodded. "Then please don't take it back, or you'd rob me of the chance of reciprocating."

Severus' dark eyes danced with something Ron had never seen before and his brain decided that it was the perfect time to abandon him entirely. He searched for something to say but could find nothing in the deep recesses of his mind to aid his cause.

They stared at one another, their hands interwoven on top of the duvet, small conspiratorial smiles tugging at both their lips. Ron bit his lip then stood and shuffled out of his robes, then his jeans and t-shirt, aware of Severus' eyes on him the whole time. He slid in the bed next to Severus and felt himself blush as they lay side by side.

"Has anyone ever told you that that blush is most endearing?" Severus asked, tilting his head to look at Ron.

"Only you," Ron replied. "You're the only one I'd want to hear it from."

He leant across and met Severus' lips in a soft and gentle kiss, mindful of Severus' injuries and careful not to hurt him further. He pulled back and brushed his knuckles along Severus' strong jaw and whispered, "I love you."

"I know," Severus replied with a smirk.

"If you don't say it back I'll give you more than a couple of cracked ribs," Ron growled, and Severus laughed.

"It doesn't become me to act like a lovesick fool," he said, adding swiftly when he saw Ron's expression, "but to keep you happy, very well. I love you too. You can congratulate yourself on being the only person I have ever said that to."

"Really?" Ron asked, knowing that it was true. Severus nodded and Ron smiled. "Well, that's another thing we have in common then."

He snuggled down and nestled into Severus' side, breathing in the scent of the man that he had missed terribly. Somewhere his 11-year-old self was having a nervous breakdown at the thought that not only was he enjoying a thoroughly fulfilling sex life with the evil old Potions Master, but was head over heels in love with the man. It was a good job that the 20-year-old iteration of himself was more understanding and open-minded; he just had to hope that everyone else in his life would be.

* * *

**AN:** I hope you enjoyed it, please leave a review and let me know what you thought.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** After being together for eight months, Ron and Severus decide it's time to go public with their relationship...starting with Ron's family.

* * *

Confronting the Inevitable

"Mm, we should get up soon."

"I couldn't disagree more."

"Love, we've got a meeting to get to in an hour."

"It's quite literally downstairs, there's hardly a rush."

Ron stifled his laughter. To laugh now would be to admit defeat to Severus, and he had no intention of doing that. He arched back into the body that was pressed tightly to his back.

"You're a lazy git, you know that?" Ron said as Severus' arms tightened around his waist.

"What man in their right mind would want to leave a bed that contains such a delectable, delicious specimen like you?" Severus murmured into Ron's ear as one hand began to travel over the man's hip.

"Flattery will get you nowhere," Ron said with more conviction than he truly felt.

"It has always aided me in the past," Severus argued, beginning to press gentle kisses to Ron's neck and shoulder. "Besides, I mean every word I say. You _are_ delicious, I could devour every inch of you."

"You certainly gave it a bloody good go last night," Ron said, finally relenting and turning around in the man's arms, delighting in the feeling of Severus' weight pressing down on him. He arched himself upwards to meet the body he knew so well, enjoying watching Severus' eyes cloud over slightly at the contact.

"Last night was so fucking hot," he said, winding his arms around Severus' neck.

"You should have been an acrobat," Severus said with a smirk, "such flexibility."

"You love me in those positions."

"I love you any way I can get you," Severus murmured, and Ron felt his chest flutter at the sentiment. He had expected Severus to say it once and never utter the words again, but apparently he'd been wrong. Severus would whisper it when he made love to him, or would say it with a kiss whenever they were going to be apart for more than a day.

Ron was about to respond in kind when Severus frowned and tilted his head towards the door. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Ron asked.

"I think someone's downstairs."

"Oh crap, we'd better get up," Ron said, wriggling out from underneath Severus and grabbing his strewn clothes from around the bedroom. Severus reached for his dressing gown and wrapped himself up in it, heading for the bedroom door and opening it quietly.

He paused, listening for any noise, then turned back to Ron and said, "I don't think anyone's there. I must have been hearing things."

"Fuck," Ron said, one leg in his jeans. "This is ridiculous," he said with a sigh, finishing putting his jeans on. "I don't want to do this anymore."

"What?" Severus said sharply, the colour draining from his face.

"Oh God no, I didn't mean that," Ron said quickly, moving over to the man and placing his hands on his shoulders. "Sorry, that was a dickhead thing to say. I just mean…I don't want to sneak around anymore, I don't want to feel like we've got some dirty little secret that we have to hide from people. I love you and I want people to know that."

"You want to tell people about us?" Severus said, looking less than pleased by the idea.

"We're a proper couple, aren't we? We love each other, we want to be together. It shouldn't be a big secret. I want to be able to sit with you at Order meetings and not have to sneak out of your room in case someone sees us. I…I want my family to know about us."

"They won't approve," Severus said, his expression guarded.

"Oh Severus don't be daft. You're part of the Order, they all respect you. They're not going to disapprove. Besides, I'm a bloody grown man, I can make my own decisions."

"Decisions that you want your family to validate."

Ron sighed and pulled himself a little closer to Severus. "I don't need them to validate anything, but people in relationships tell their families about them. That is what this is, isn't it? We're not just fucking, are we?"

"Don't be stupid, of course not. I love you, you moron."

"Such romance," Ron said with a grin. "This is real, isn't it?"

"Yes, yes it is," Severus said, his expression softening as he rested his hands in the small of Ron's back.

"It's been eight months, eight fantastic months of amazing sex and loving every minute of being with you, but it's time for more. I know this bloody war is always hanging over our heads, but Harry and Draco manage to have a relationship in the middle of everything, I don't see why we can't."

"I suppose you want us to skip through meadows hand-in-hand while spouting poetry to each other?"

Ron laughed and pressed a soft kiss to Severus' lips. "I don't want to know where you got that idea from," he said as Severus held him tightly. "I don't want to do anything that'll make you unhappy, but this relationship means everything to me, I don't want to hide it."

"Foolish, sentimental Gryffindor," Severus groused, running a hand through Ron's sleep-mussed hair. "I swear to Merlin if this all blows up in our faces that I will spend the rest of my life making you pay."

Ron looked up at Severus through his fringe and said, "Planning on spending the rest of your life with me, are you?"

Severus smirked, despite the spots of colour that had appeared on his cheeks. "We'll see," he said, his voice low.

Ron thought about the comment for days after. Despite Severus' reluctance to tell people about their relationship, it was obvious that things were serious between them. As the months had gone on, Ron had found himself falling more and more love with the man, finding out new things about him with each passing month.

He knew Severus better than he knew anyone, even Harry. He couldn't remember a time when he'd been happier than when he was lying in the man's arms in the dead of night, feeling the rise and fall of his chest beneath him. They talked, they laughed and they had the occasional argument.

The first one had been awful, all drama and angst, threats of putting an end to their 'arrangement' as Severus had called it, sparking a flood of hurt and anger from Ron who had taken great exception at their relationship being referred to in such a way. They spent the whole night tearing into one another, bringing up each other's faults and flaws, each declaring that they didn't know why they put up with other.

It had ended, as most first arguments do, with sudden guilt at the things that had been said, and genuine fear that such vitriol really had put an end to their relationship. There then followed a great deal of apology and reassurance from both parties, each declaring themselves to be an idiot while begging the other not to leave them. It had ended more happily than it began, and as the sun rose they lay entwined on the bed together, murmuring words of comfort and regret.

There had been subsequent arguments of course, but these were had with the knowledge that everything wouldn't fall apart simply because they disagreed. There had been slammed doors and harsh words exchanged, but things were usually right again by the next morning.

The sex was still as passionate and exciting as ever, tempered with a gentleness and the enduring trust that Ron felt whenever his lover touched him. Their time in bed ranged for hot, intense sex to slow, gentle love-making. Ron couldn't say which he preferred, only that he adored every second of it.

The only thing missing, as far as was concerned, was bringing the whole thing out into the open. He didn't want to feel as though they were sneaking around, they had some dirty secret to be ashamed of. At first it had been exciting, it had added a thrill to their encounters, but he loved the man, he didn't want to keep that fact secret.

So it was that he found himself conducting a firecall with his mother a couple of weeks later, asking if he could come for dinner.

"Oh Ron, as if you need an invitation you foolish boy, of course you can come!" Molly said with a smile.

"Thanks Mum, it's just…I was hoping I could bring someone."

"Of course darling, the more the merrier!" Molly said cheerfully. "Who is it you'd like to bring?"

Ron cleared his throat and hoped to Merlin that his mother couldn't discern the blush on his cheeks. "Well…the thing is…I've been seeing someone, and it's getting…pretty serious. I'd like him to meet the family."

"Him?" Molly said, surprise evident on her face.

"Yeah…him. Is that a problem? Are you – "

"Oh Ron, don't be silly," Molly interrupted with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Of course it's not a problem! You just took me by surprise, that's all. I didn't realise you were…gay."

"Well, bi actually, but it doesn't matter. I'd like to bring the person I'm seeing to meet you all. Ok?"

"Well that's wonderful," Molly beamed. "I'm so pleased you've met someone sweetheart. I can't wait to meet him. He must be very special if he's managed to capture your heart!"

"Mum," Ron said, rolling his eyes. "Please don't say things like that in front of him, I'll die of embarrassment."

"It's my job to embarrass you," she said, and Ron was certain that she would reach through the flames and pinch his cheek if he could. "Sunday lunch it is then, I'll rally the troops."

"Thanks. Oh and Mum – tell Fred and George to behave themselves eh? This bloke…he's really important to me, I don't want them scaring him off."

"You leave them to me love."

Sunday rolled around, and Ron's stomach felt as though it might drop to his shoes. Severus had been terse and preoccupied all morning, and Ron knew that he was nervous. He couldn't blame him; they were his own family and he was feeling apprehensive about facing them all. He could only imagine what Severus must be feeling.

"Look, you say the word and we leave, ok?" Ron said, standing behind the man as he checked his appearance in the full-length mirror. His robes were immaculate, as always, but Ron noted that Severus seemed to have gone to greater effort than usual to appear well turned out.

"And that would go down well, wouldn't it? Halfway through loading your plate with potatoes and I get up and leave. I hardly think so."

"I just don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

"I rather think that that particular state is inevitable, don't you?"

He turned around to face Ron, and Ron looped his arms around the man's neck, smiling as Severus' hands settled on his waist. "We just have to get through this day and it'll all be over, done with. Then we can come back here and you can use my body any way you want to," he said with a grin, pleased to see the corner of Severus' mouth twitch slightly.

"That is a dangerous promise to make, my love," Severus purred into his ear, and Ron felt his stomach flutter at the endearment. He loved it when Severus called him that, it made him feel so wanted, as though he was coming home.

"I'll make any promises you want," Ron whispered, pulling himself a little closer. "Especially when you call me that."

"Like that, do you?" Severus asked with a smirk as his hands began to rove down Ron's body.

"God, you have no idea," Ron groaned, feeling himself harden as he pushed himself against Severus' hip.

"I'm getting a fairly good idea," Severus replied, leaning down to meet him in a kiss. It was gentle and languid, both of them knowing that it couldn't lead to anything with them being due at the Burrow in the next couple of minutes.

Severus' hands stroked his lower back softly and Ron's own ran up and down the man's chest. The kiss was soft and sensuous, the kind that Ron could lose himself in for hours, Severus' clever tongue sending wave after wave of pleasure through him. It always amazed him that the man could be so gentle, that he was capable of such exquisite softness.

The tenderness that Severus was capable of showing sometimes took his breath away. He had been brought to indescribable pleasure by the softest of touches, the most intimate and gentle caresses, and he loved the fact that he was the one who got the privilege of seeing this unknown side to the man.

"We'd better go, or we'll be late," Ron said, reluctantly breaking the kiss. "Just try and remember that you love me and that I will let you do _anything_ to me to make up for whatever happens today."

"We'll see if I still love you after today," Severus said darkly.

Ron rolled his eyes and tightened his hold on the man before apparating them to the Burrow. They stood outside the front door for a couple of moments, both gathering their courage, Ron telling himself that this had to be done. He was going to knock, then realised how ridiculous that would be, and instead let himself in, casting a look behind him to make sure that Severus was still there.

They paused in the little porch for a moment while Ron hung up their cloaks. Ron could hear noise coming from the kitchen, and he imagined that most people were gathered in there either trying to help his mother with the dinner or getting in her way. The living room was empty as they stepped into it, and Ron took a deep breath before calling,

"Hi, we're here."

There was a momentary lull of noise in the kitchen and it had obviously been decided that Molly would go out first. She appeared in the kitchen doorway, wiping her hands on a tea towel.

"Oh hello love! It's lovely to…oh Severus. What are you – " she began to ask, then a look of realisation dawned on her. Her eyes widened and she was clearly at a loss for what to say. "Well this is…I…" she stuttered, and Ron moved forward, feeling Severus' presence behind him.

"I know this is a bit of surprise," he said, taking her hands, "but I'm really happy and this is important to me."

"I don't know what to say, Ron," Molly said, looking over his shoulder at Severus. "Severus dear, this is…rather unexpected. The two of you are…very different people and I – "

"Molly, believe me when I say that this is the last thing that I thought would happen," Severus said, and Ron felt the man's hand settle in the small of his back. "But now that it has, I wouldn't change it for the world."

Ron smiled and resisted the urge to look back at his lover. He knew Severus wouldn't want him looking up at him like a moon-eyed teenager in front of his mother, but he appreciated Severus being so honest.

"Come on Ron!" came Fred's voice from the kitchen. "We're all dying to meet your boyfriend. We can't imagine anyone desperate enough to go out with you."

"Well, this will certainly be interesting," Molly said, looking highly disturbed by the thought of serving Sunday lunch while the rest of the family tried to get their heads around this shocking news.

She disappeared back into the kitchen and Ron looked over his shoulder, hoping that he was shooting Severus an encouraging look. The man rolled his eyes but rubbed soothingly at Ron's back nevertheless before they both steeled themselves and stepped into the kitchen.

All eyes went to them and Ron looked around at the stunned faces of his family. Fred and George looked as though all their Christmases had come at once, and Ron could only imagine the hell he was in for with them.

Bill was doing his best to plaster an expression of neutral interest on his face, while Percy was doing a great impression of a disapproving prefect. Ginny had her arms folded and a smirk on her face that screamed ' I bloody well knew it', while his dad looked torn between happiness and bemusement.

It was only Charlie who looked thoughtful, neither gleeful nor cross, simply pensive. He had always been closest to Charlie, despite both the age difference and physical distance between them. Charlie had always protected him from the twins' machinations when he was little, had always taken him up for broom rides and had spent hours telling him fascinating stories about dragons.

He had told Charlie things that he had never told his other siblings, and there was a level of trust between the two of them that didn't exist with the others. He wondered if perhaps Charlie was hurt that he hadn't confided in him, but he hoped his brother would be able to see why he hadn't.

"So, everyone," Ron said, clearing his throat and feeling a blush creep up his neck. "Obviously you all know Severus and you all know why we're here today. I'm only going to say this once and I expect to be listened to – Severus and I are together and we hope to be for a long time to come. We…hope that you'll all be supportive but if you can't be then please keep your comments to yourself."

"Bloody hell Ron, bit serious aren't you?" George asked with a broad grin. "What did you expect us to do, tar and feather him?"

"I don't know what to expect, I'm just telling you all how it is."

"Drama queen," Fred snorted. "If you think for one second that George and I aren't going to tease you mercilessly about betraying every Gryffindor on the planet, then you can think again."

"That's enough you two," Arthur said firmly, and the twins managed to look abashed while still grinning broadly.

"How about I sort us all out some drinks?" said Bill, and Ron shot him a grateful look. "Severus, what can I get you?"

Drinks were distributed, Ron opting for a very large, very strong gin and tonic while everyone seated themselves around the kitchen table. Severus sat ramrod straight, the tension in his body palpable. Ron wanted to reach out and place his hand over the man's but he was certain he would be hexed for his trouble.

His family were clearly at a loss what to say, or indeed how to behave, and Ron was certain that they had never been as quiet as they were while they all sat and waited for Molly to plate up lunch. Fred and George looked about ready to explode, and Ron could only imagine the comments they were dreaming up in their nasty little minds. If they tried one thing, just the slightest little dig or trick, Ron was going to make sure neither of them would ever be capable of fathering children.

Bill, always the one to be relied upon, did his best to make conversation, and asked Severus a few intelligent questions about the latest operations that the Order had made in the north. Arthur too tried his best to engage Severus in conversation, but the family had never been all that comfortable around Severus and it was evident that the feeling was mutual.

"Well, here we are everyone," Molly said, her voice slightly higher than it usually was. She levitated the plates leaden with succulent pieces of meat over and they settled down in front of everyone while they were all instructed to help themselves to the huge dishes of potatoes and veg that covered the table.

"Am I allowed to ask a question?" Fred said, his eyes dancing with mirth.

"Within reason," Ron said tightly.

"How long have the two of you been…" he waved a hand in their direction, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"We've been _together_," Ron said through gritted teeth, "for eight months."

"Eight months?" Molly repeated, looking scandalised. "All that time and you never told us?"

"Mum," Charlie said gently, "Ron's a grown man, he doesn't have to let us know every detail of his life."

"Well you would think that," Molly replied tartly. "We don't know anything about your life, do we?" She turned her attention back to Ron and said, "Why have you suddenly decided that we deserve to know now?"

Ron sighed and lowered his fork, his appetite diminishing by the second. "Because we don't want to hide it anymore," he said, trying to keep his voice level. "We kept it secret because we wanted to be left alone, we didn't want anyone else sticking their nose in and – "

"So you thought we wouldn't approve?" Molly asked, and Ron knew that was exactly how she felt about the matter.

"I don't care whether you approve or not," he said frankly, dipping his head to avoid the glare his mother was sending his way. "Look, we're not just…we're not just messing around. This is…this is real," he said, feeling his whole face heat.

"Well, you might think – " Molly began, but was interrupted by Charlie saying loudly,

"Could someone please pass the carrots? I'm bloody starving and I'm not letting all this food go to waste."

Ginny handed him the dish, then turned to face Severus, saying, "What do you think about the report published in the latest potions journal by Professor Meadows? Is there any truth in his assertion that nutrition potions can have long-term negative effects on the body?"

Ron could have kissed her. He resolved that his sister was getting the biggest, most expensive Christmas present he could find. Severus replied to her question and the two were soon engaged in a debate about Professor Meadows' credentials. Ginny had always had a talent for potions and she was probably the only person around the table who could have kept up a conversation with Severus about his beloved art.

Fred and George, sensing that they wouldn't be able to draw blood any time soon, fell to their own conversation about the latest line of Wheezes products and largely ignored everyone else around the table. Bill, Charlie and Arthur spoke about the current goings-on in the Ministry while Ron simply pushed food around his plate and tried not to notice that his mother was glowering at him across the table.

He had known this wouldn't be easy, but he had expected his mother to be a little more subtle about her reservations. She was fiercely protective of them all and prospective partners had to meet her exacting standards. It was no wonder that Charlie never brought anyone home to meet her. He had always been the most rebellious one of the family and his mother had never really forgiven him for being the only one of her children that lived most of the time in another country.

He knew that most of his mother's behaviour came from a good place. She was a brilliant mother, there was no doubt about that, but she could be overbearing and bloody-minded when she wanted to be. She had ideas about how her children's lives should all turn out and it threw her when anyone deviated from those plans.

Of course, he doubted his mother had ever imagined that her youngest boy would one day strike up a relationship with his former teacher, a man 20 years his senior and with a somewhat shady past. Still, it was his life and he was damned if he was going to let himself be dictated to, even by his mother.

When dinner was finished, Ron excused himself and went to the bathroom, feeling confident that Severus was in good hands. He had agreed to take a stroll in the gardens with Ginny and Bill, and Ron felt that he could trust those two to make sure neither his mother nor the twins attempted anything.

After he used the bathroom he retreated to his old bedroom and sat down on his bed with a heavy sigh. He didn't want to have to protect Severus from his family, he didn't want to spend the rest of his life justifying his relationship with the man.

And that was just the point; he felt that there was a future for them, that this was more than just a passing fancy. That possibility would be hampered though if his family could never reconcile themselves to their relationship.

"She'll come round," came a voice from the doorway, and Ron looked up to see Charlie smiling down at him.

"It's nothing I wasn't expecting," Ron said, rubbing the slight stubble on his chin.

Charlie crossed the room and took a seat on the bed next to his brother, slinging an arm around Ron's shoulders and pulling him into a one-sided hug. "You certainly know how to surprise us all. Can I ask how it happened?"

Ron laughed and said, "I'm not really sure. There was…something between us for a while, a strong attraction that finally came to a head. At first I thought it was just sex," he said, blushing, "but it's not."

"You love him?" Charlie asked gently.

Ron nodded. "I really do. I get to see this side of him that no one else does and when we're together…it's like nothing else matters. Don't get me wrong, he's still a sarcastic and bitter prick sometimes, and I've never known anyone capable of sulking the way he does, but yeah…I love him."

"And he feels the same way?"

Ron's blush intensified and he said, "He does. I didn't think he'd be the kind of person that would be comfortable saying it but he tells me all the time. I've never felt this way about anyone and I can't imagine trusting anyone the way I trust him."

"Then fuck everyone else," Charlie said with his customary bluntness. "Look, they'll come around eventually, they'll have no bloody choice. They're hardly going to disown you, are they?"

Ron snorted and said, "Mum looks as though she'd like to."

"Oh you know what she's like," Charlie said with a sigh. "No one's really good enough for any of us. She'll get over it, it'll just take some time."

"I just hate putting Severus through this. He shouldn't have to be treated like this."

"It's not that bad," Charlie argued. "Gin and Bill have been nothing but pleasant, and I have a sneaking suspicion that Severus rather likes Gin. Dad's always affable and friendly and Percy…well Percy's just a bit of a prat, isn't he? As for the twins, they only tease because it's in their nature, they don't mean it, not really. After the novelty's worn off, they won't care, I promise."

"And Mum?"

"Leave her to Dad. He's the only one that can talk her around when she gets like this. There's a reason their marriage has lasted as long as it has done. Besides, once she sees that the two of you are serious she'll have to accept it."

"I think perhaps she's upset because I didn't end up with Hermione. She adores her, she was really hoping she'd end up with her as a daughter-in-law."

Charlie flushed all the way to the roots of his hair and Ron's eyes widened in surprise. "Charlie? Are you…you and Hermione?!" Ron said, amazed.

Charlie nodded and Ron grinned. "Bloody hell, so I'm not the only one keeping secrets eh? How long?"

"A few months," Charlie said, a smile working its way onto his lips. "She's…bloody hell Ron, she's amazing."

"You don't have to tell me. Well, at least you know when you bring her home that Mum will be beside herself with joy. You'll be rocketed up to favourite child so quickly that it'll make your head spin!"

Charlie laughed and stood up, hauling Ron up with him. "Come on, let's go see if your other half needs rescuing. He won't forgive you if he's been left to the tender mercies of Fred and George."

They made their way out of the bedroom and down the two sets of stairs, their mother's voice drifting up the staircase as they walked. She was speaking to their father, and it was clear she wasn't happy.

As they neared the bottom of the stairs, Charlie placed a gentle hand on Ron's neck and said, "If you don't stand up to her now it'll only be worse in the long run. I love the woman dearly but she can be a spoilt brat when she wants to be, don't let her think she's worn you down."

Feeling bolstered by his brother's words and the support he had offered, Ron made his way into the kitchen in time to hear his mother say,

"…and let's not forget that the man was a Death Eater! This is the person I'm supposed to be happy that my son is seeing. It's ludicrous, it's farcical, it's – "

"You can think of all the adjectives you like, Mum but it won't change the fact that Severus and I are together."

"And how long do you think it will last?" Molly asked, turning to face him, her cheeks flushed.

"As long as it possibly can," Ron said simply. "I can't tell the future, but I know how I feel. I love Severus and I want to be with him for as long as he'll have me."

"This is lunacy!" Molly said, chucking down the tea towel in her hands and glaring at Ron. "He's 20 years older than you, he used to be your teacher! Let's not forget the fact that he was a – "

"I'm fully aware of his past!" Ron said heatedly, trying not to shout. "I know everything about him, more than you do I daresay! It's alright for you to accept him when he's doing things that help the Order, when he spent years spying for us, risking his life every time, but he's not good enough to be part of this family!"

"You can do better, Ron! Why does it have to be him?" Molly asked, just as agitated as Ron was.

"Because I love him! I'm not asking you to understand, I'm not even asking for your blessing, because I don't bloody need it, but this is the way things are. I love him and I don't care what you say about it."

"And do you really think that he loves you?"

"I can assure you, I do," Severus' voice broke through the room, and they all turned to see him coming in from the garden.

He crossed the room and placed his arm around Ron's shoulders, holding him closely against his body. Ron felt a wave of safety and security wash over him, and he knew more than ever that he had made the right choice in Severus.

"I know you have your reservations about me, Molly and I can't say I blame you. I am no one's idea of the perfect partner, and no one will ever accuse me of being Prince Charming, but I love your son, and I would never do anything to hurt him."

"This will never work, it's ridiculous!" Molly said, her hands on her hips, looking between Ron and Severus, her expression fierce.

"It's worked well enough for the last eight months," Ron countered. "You don't seem to be listening to us – we love each other. We're not just having a bit of fun, this is serious."

"Oh really?" Molly asked, obviously not believing a word of it. "I suppose you'll be telling me next that you're planning on getting married?"

Ron felt his stomach flip over. How could she say that? It would send Severus running for the hills. True they were in a committed relationship but they had never spoken about marriage and it was something that should have been discussed between the two of them, not something they had to use to justify their relationship to his mother.

He was so caught up in his troubled thoughts that he almost missed it when he heard Severus say, "If he'll have me."

Ron looked across at Severus, his eyes wide with surprise. "Severus, you don't have to say that, we don't need to prove anything to them. We know how real this is, we don't need to justify ourselves."

Severus smiled and said, "Nor would I feel the need to do so. We've spent the whole day telling everyone how 'real' this is, how serious we are about one another. I told you the other day that I planned on spending the rest of my life with you. If you'll have me, I'll make good on that promise."

Ron blinked at him, his pulse crashing loudly in his ears. Severus had just proposed to him, had declared his intention to spend the rest of his life with him, and not only that, he had done it in front of half his family too.

He heard Molly snort and Ron glared across at her. "Don't you dare," he said fiercely. "You've made your feelings about us perfectly clear but I won't let you ruin this for me. I love this man, more than you could possibly understand and nothing would make me happier than being his husband," he said, turning back to say the last part to Severus.

Severus gave him that look that was reserved only for him and Ron realised in that moment that this was the man he was going to spend the rest of his life with. He had never felt more certain about anything before and he knew he would never regret his decision.

"Did we just hear that right?" came Fred's voice from somewhere behind them. "You two are getting married?"

Ron continued to smile at Severus, aware that his mother was glaring at them more fiercely than ever. "Looks like we are," he said, feeling his stomach flutter with excitement.

"You can't be serious, do you really think – " Molly began, but Charlie cut her off, saying,

"Mum, that's enough. You keep behaving like this and you'll push Ron away for good. Is that what you want?"

"How can you all be alright with this?" she asked and Ron sighed, finally breaking eye contact with Severus to turn to look at his mother.

"We're leaving now. I really don't want this moment ruined anymore than it already has been. It may have escaped your notice, but your youngest son just got engaged to the man he's in love with. I would hope that you could find it somewhere in yourself to be happy for us."

He ran a hand through his hair and considered what he was about to say carefully. "Don't make me choose, Mum. You won't like the answer."

He looked around the room, giving Charlie as good a smile as he could muster, then wrapped himself around Severus and apparated back to Grimmauld Place. He stayed pulled close to Severus' body, feeling the man's hand come up to twine softly in his hair.

"Are you sure you want to marry me after all that?" he asked quietly into Severus' shoulder.

"I knew I wanted to marry you the first time we slept together," Severus replied, and Ron took a step back in shock, looking up at the man with wide-eyed surprise.

"You're not serious?" he asked, and a slow smile spread across Severus' face.

His hands roved down Ron's back and held him close to his body. "I realised I'd fallen in love with you. It was utterly terrifying, but I knew there was no escaping it. I was yours from that moment on."

Ron was stunned into silence for a moment or two, wondering at how different Severus was when it was just the two of them. No one would believe him of course. No one would ever believe that Severus was a romantic man, that he was capable of sweeping Ron off his feet and making him feel as though no one else on the planet mattered.

"You know you're stuck with me for life, right?" Ron asked with a grin. "You've spoilt me for anyone else."

Severus' grip tightened around him and he was pulled tightly against the man's chest. "There won't be anyone else," he said, his voice a low growl.

Ron sank into the possessive hold and thought that he had never agreed with Severus more. There wouldn't be anyone else ever again, he was taken for life.

* * *

**AN:** I hope you enjoyed it, I may add to this little pairing in the future, but that's it for now.


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